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Homily – June 7, 2020

Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. This is a mystery basic to our faith as Christians – this is the mystery that separates us from the great faiths of Judaism and Islam. They too believe in the one God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But we believe that the “ God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob loved the world, loved us, so much He sent His Son to the world in order that the world might be saved thru Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. We believe that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sent the Holy Spirit to us at Pentecost to complete the work of Christ on earth and bring us to the fullness of God’s love.

What this feast celebrates and teaches us is that the inner life of God is a life of relationships. The Father speaks the Word and the Holy Spirit binds Father and Son together in a relationship of creative love.

A mystery is not something of which we can know nothing; a mystery is something of which we cannot know everything. Even when we see God face to face and know God as God is, we will still be dealing with mystery. Our limited intelligence cannot comprehend the immensity of God.

There are times when we are a mystery to ourselves; why did I do that, why did I say that? Why do I feel this way? We can’t figure it out.

Our lives began out of the love relationship of our parents and you are in relationships with your children. Our present social distancing helps to appreciate how important our relationships mean to us. We miss being with one another. Fr. Brando and I miss you good people at our Sunday celebration of Mass.

The validity of our lives as Christians is determined by the quality of our relationships with the people who come into our lives. Matthew’s description of our final judgement is all about our relationships. ‘I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink, naked and you clothed me, sick or in prison and you came to me.’ Christ is saying, you were there for me, now I am here for you.

This past week the most heard words in the world’s media are the plea of George Floyd, “I can’t breathe.” That plea might ask us to question, is there anyone with whom I am in a relationship who may be saying to me, I can’t breathe? I can’t breathe because you smother me, you control me, and you manipulate my life.

It’s an uncomfortable question, but it might be worth asking. Or do we encourage family and friends to breathe the fresh air of growth and becoming and affirmation?

The movie ‘As Good As It Gets’ tells of the stressful relationship between Jack Nicholson, a compulsive, self-centered author and Helen Hunt, a waitress, a single mother with a sick child. At one point she is so frustrated with his odd behaviour, she asks him why he wants to be her to be his friend. He answers, ‘because you make me want to be a better person.’ You make me want to be a better person.

In our relationship with Jesus he is constantly nudging us, challenging us to be a better person. Love one another as I have loved you. Accept one another as I have accepted you. Forgive one another as I have forgiven you.’Our relationships with family and friends are at its best when it is based on that desire; to make each other a better person.

As we continue to celebrate this feast of the Blessed Trinity, this feast of relationships we pray for the ability to always live in holy, life giving, life sustaining, life – healing relationships with all those who come into our lives.

This Homily entry was posted on Sunday, June 7th, 2020.