Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (b)

Ordinary Cycle of the Year (b)
Weekdays – Year 2

Sunday 27th May: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. (B)
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, a feast that reminds us that God is not isolated or remote but is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are given the opportunity to reflect on the very mystery of God, as a God who created, who redeems and who calls us to holiness.
The first reading is from the Book of Deuteronomy and is prayer of Moses reminding them of God’s deeds and declaring that there is but one God.
The second reading, from the Letter to the Romans, reminds us that we are all God’s children, co-heirs with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit
The Gospel passage we hear how, from a mountaintop in Galilee the disciples are given to preach and baptise in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Monday 28th May: Monday of the 8th week of the year.
St. Peter’s first letter is very pastoral in its tone and its content. It was written to Christians scattered throughout the various provinces of Asia Minor. It aims to encourage and support these new converts in the face of the real practical problems and crises they faced in their daily lives. This opening section is a powerful prayer that sums up the key elements in the Christian teaching. It is a blessing or thanksgiving to God for the salvation, which he has achieved through Jesus Christ.
Jesus teaches that the commandments of the law are the first basic rules of good living. He presents great ideals for us to follow. Those who are rich would find these hard to follow due to the distraction and temptation their money would bring.

Tuesday 29th May: Tuesday of the 8th week of the year.
Peter tells his readers to realise they are specially privileged. Because of their calling, they are to be filled with joy and be holy in all that they do despite their sharing in the sufferings of Christ as well.
Those who do try to follow the ideals of Jesus Christ and leave everything and everyone to follow him will definitely receive their rewards. It will be eternal life.

Wednesday 30th May: Wednesday of 8th week of the year.
Peter asks the Christians to be faithful to their conversion, to remember the price of their ransom
Jesus reminds us that suffering is very much part of the lot of Christians just as it was the lot of Jesus himself. Linked with this is the need for service, given with generosity. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. We should be the same.

Thursday 31st May: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This feast was first celebrated by the Franciscans in 1263 and extended to the universal church by Pope Urban VI in 1389. It commemorates Our Lady’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. It is an occasion of a great outpouring of grace. Elizabeth welcomes her cousin as the Mother of the Lord; the yet unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy in her womb; Our Lady sings her great canticles of thanksgiving for all the God has done in her and through her.

Friday 1st June: Memorial of St. Justin..
Justin was born in Palestine about the beginning of the second century. He was born of pagan parents and took up philosophy as a profession. His search for ultimate truth led him to the great Christian faith. He settled in Rome and put himself at the service of the Church. In one of his books, he left an invaluable description of the Mass as celebrated at Rome in the second century. It also included a description of the ritual of Baptism. He was martyred about 165 in the period of persecution by Marcus Aurelius.

Saturday 2nd June: Saturday of the 8th week of the year.
The cycle of Peter’s letters is interrupted with a reading from the letter of St. Jude. Various heresies are growing and Jude is at pains combat these. The early community must build on the solid foundation of their faith. It finishes with a great prayer of praise to God for all he has done.
The chief priests are still trying to catch Jesus out but he outwits them by turning their question back on them. Basically he is telling them to watch and listen and then they will know who he is and why he has come.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now
And shall be evermore.
Amen.

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