Sunday Gospel Reflection
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son

Introduction:

The Holy Trinity is an integral part of our faith, the understanding of which is often under emphasized. Holy Trinity Sunday was introduced into the church by John XXII in
the 1300's to honor the Trinity of Persons in God. Throughout the Scriptures we see various passages which bring out the reality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, their unity, and the various roles they fulfil to accomplish their will.

Ephesians 4:4-6 is one such passage; "There is one body and one Spirit, . . . one Lord,  . . .one God and Father of us all." As in this passage, an overriding characteristic of the Holy Trinity is their unity and oneness. How scandalous it is for us who name the name of Christ, to live with, and in some cases foster such division among ourselves. As the following quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church   reveals, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are united in bringing salvation to humankind.

"Thus the Church confesses, following the new Testament, 'one God and Father from whom all things are, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and one Holy Spirit in whom all things are'. . . Hence the whole Christian life is a communion with each of the divine persons, without in any way separating them. Everyone who glorifies the Father does so through the Son in the Holy Spirit; everyone who follows Christ does  so because the Father draws him and the Spirit moves him."

How can we honor the Holy Trinity? First and foremost we can honor the Trinity by cooperating with them in the work of salvation. If we have ever held a part of ourselves from fully believing and surrendering to Christ and his gracious offer of salvation for us, if we have consented only with our head and not our heart and will, we can honor the Holy Trinity by a simple prayer of surrender and welcome.

Those of us who have already done so, can pause and reflect on our previous commitment, asking the Holy Trinity to reveal to us areas where we need to conform to the Trinity's will in different or deeper ways. Perhaps we can ask the Trinity to show us how we might be more actively involved in their work of bringing the Good News of salvation to our world. In addition, we can pause to offer a special prayer of thanksgiving for the Trinity's presence in our life, and tell the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit of our love for them.

First Reading
Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9

4 So Moses cut two tables of stone like the first; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.
5 And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
6 The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
...
8 And Moses made haste to bow his head toward the earth, and worshiped.
9 And he said, "If now I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us, although it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thy inheritance."

Second Reading
2 Corinthians 13:11-14

11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one  another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Gospel Reading
John 3:16-18

16 For God so loved the world  that he gave his only Son,  so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Bible Study

16 For God so loved the world 
     -----The only explanation that we shall ever have of the gift of eternal life made possible for us in the redemption achieved in Christ is the incredible love of God for the world. Although alienated from God, the world is not evil in itself, and remains the object of divine compassion. The "world" for John is the world of men and their affairs, which is a world subject to sin and darkness.

16b that he gave his only Son,
       -----Saint John expresses the gratuity of God's love, extending even to this extreme.

16c so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
      -----The question of Christ may be resolved only in belief and eternal life, or in rejection and destruction; there is no third alternative.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
    ----Christ has been sent into the world to bring eternal life.

18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
     -----Belief is not merely acknowledging Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, but living out that belief by doing "whatever He tells you" [Mary's last words in Scripture, (John 2:5)] no matter how bizarre they may sound ["You must eat my flesh and drink my blood" (John 6:51-58)].

18b but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
      ------The "name" in Jewish society is more than an artificial tag that distinguishes one person from another - the name has an identity with the bearer and is capable of acting or receiving in his place. When baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the person becomes a member of God's family and is invested with the power and authority of that family. He who rejects the name rejects all that it entails and already stands condemned.

The Trinity is our truth and holiness, our mercy, kindness and fidelity, our grace and fellowship, our love, our eternal life, and our salvation. What wonderful works the Trinity does for us!

Meditation

What is the true nature of love? O'Henry wrote a story, called The Gift of the Magi, about two young lovers who scrapped by with the little they possessed.  One Christmas eve the husband sold a gold pocket watch, inherited from his father, so he could buy his wife a golden comb.  She had long beautiful hair.   The wife that same day had her hair cut and sold so she could buy a gold chain for her husband's watch. What wonder and surprise crossed their faces when they exchanged their gifts!  True love costs dearly! God, the perfect lover, has given us, his beloved, the most perfect gift.  "To ransom a slave God gave his Son" (ancient prayer from the Easter vigil liturgy). God sent his Son to free us from slavery to sin and the power of death. Jesus willing layed down his life for our sake and salvation.  His death on the cross of Calvary was both an offering to God and the atoning sacrifice for our sin and the sin of the world.  Perfect love holds nothing back but gives all.  Jesus gave himself completely out of love for his Father and for us sinners.

John tells us that God's love knows no bounds (John 3:16). His love is not limited to a few or to a single nation.  His love both embraces the whole world and is personally directed to every person created in "his image and likeness". God is a loving Father who cannot rest until his wandering children have returned home to him. Saint Augustine says, God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love. God gives us the freedom to choose whom and what we will love.  Jesus shows us the paradox of love and judgment.  We can love the darkness of sin and unbelief or we can love the ight of God's truth, beauty, and goodness.  If our love is guided by what is true, and Jesus revealed to his disciples the great mystery of our faith - the triune nature of God and the inseparable union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus' mission is to reveal the glory of God to us - a Trinity of persons -  God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and to unite us with God in a community of love. The ultimate end, the purpose for which God created us, is the entry of God's creatures into the perfect unity of the blessed Trinity. The Jews understood God as Creator and Father of all that he made (Deuteronomy 32:6) and they understood the nation of Israel as God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22). Jesus reveals the Father in an unheard of sense. He is eternally Father by his relationship to his only Son, who, reciprocally, is Son only in relation to his Father (see Matthew 11:27). The Spirit, likewise, is inseparably one with the Father and the Son.  The mission of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit are the same.  That is why Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit will reveal the glory of the Father and the Son and will speak what is true. Before his Passover, Jesus revealed the Holy Spirit as the "Paraclete" and Helper who will be with Jesus' disciples to teach
and guide them "into all the truth" (John 14:17,26; 16:13).  In baptism we are called to share in the life of the Holy Trinity here on earth in faith and after death in eternal light.

Reflections:

· Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you.

·  For God so loved the world  that he gave his only Son,  so that everyone who elieves in him might not perish but might have eternal life. (John 3:16)
   -----John insisted on the intimate relationship between faith and love. Faith is a loving union with Jesus. Are your faith a "loving faith?" Are your faith closely tied to the standards and principles?

.  Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.(John 3:18)
    -----What are some synonyms for "believe"?
    -----How is "believing in Jesus," different than believing about some other historical figure?

.  What experiences in your life have helped you see God's love for me?
   Share one experience in which you imitate the virtue of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son and the love of the Holy Spirit in the way you treat someone dear to you (your family, friends)

.   How does Jesus' teaching lead you close to God?

.  Through what activities do you nourish your faith?

To live His Word this week:

·  Call and/or visit the ones that you had helped to join our Catholic Faith.

.   Sacrifice a lunch and to donate that money to an organization or Order that doing the mission works.

For Youngsters:

.    Kneel down before the Blessed Sacrament whenever you go into the church.

.    Make a sign of the Cross before you eat lunch at school.

Prayer

May the Lord Jesus put his hands on our eyes also, for then we too shall begin to look not at what is seen but at what is not seen. May he open the eyes that are concerned not with the present but with what is yet to come, may he unseal the heart's vision, that we may gaze on God in the Spirit, through the same Lord, Jesus Christ, whose glory and power will endure throughout the unending succession of ages." (prayer of Origin, c. 185-254)