Today we celebrate one of the most fundamental beliefs of Christianity: the Most Holy Trinity – three distinct, coequal Persons in one God. For the Church, the Trinity is considered a mystery. There are aspects of the Trinity that we will never fully grasp while we are this side of Heaven. But it is something we hold as revealed truth. We may never comprehend its totality, but we experience its presence and accept its reality.
In the Scripture Readings for today’s Mass, we hear two accounts of the Pentecost. The more dramatic of the two occurs in our First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11) where the Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles, empowering them to speak in different tongues so that the Jews from different lands who had gathered in Jerusalem could hear the message of Jesus proclaimed in their own language. The second, and perhaps less dramatic account is found in today’s Gospel (John 20:19-23) where the Risen Jesus, himself, appears to the Apostles, breathes the Holy Spirit upon them, and commissions them to go forth and continue the mission of announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Hopefully, by the time you read this bulletin, we will have installed a “Fatima Shrine Stone” in the area of the Fatima Grotto East of the church. This stone was originally placed at the main entrance of St. Joseph Hospital (what is now Lovelace Hospital).
Spiritual Bouquet Cards for our Mother’s Day Masses have been placed in the pews, and are also available in the Parish Office. Remove the inner card so you can give it to the person you are honoring. Please fill out the outer envelope and put it in the collection basket, or you may bring it to the Parish Office. Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13.
What gives us joy? The beauties of nature, surely! And children. How Jesus rejoiced when little children climbed onto his lap! “Let the little children come to me,” he said. And what joy he must have felt when he brought physical and spiritual healing to people. The deepest source of Jesus’ joy, however, was his loving relationship with his heavenly Father, his Abba. Jesus tells us that wherever he might go, whatever he might do, he remains in his Father’s loving embrace.
The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, May 31st, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Daily Mass will be at the regular times of 6:30 AM and 8:15 AM.