On 12th June, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. As you know, the Holy Trinity is God the Father, His son Jesus and The Holy Spirit. – 3 persons, one in nature. It is because God the Father sent His son Jesus into the world that this dimension of the Holy Trinity was revealed to us. Jesus Himself invites us to be one with the Family of the Holy Trinity. Inviting someone into your family indicates closeness, where you are permitting your family to be exposed to that person.

The Trinity is the First Holy Family. It is the Holiest of holiest family. It comforts us in all we go through in life. We need one or the other person of the Trinity at various times according to the situations we face in life. There are times when we need the Strength and Authority of the Father. When we fall into sin, feel guilty and unworthy – we need the Love and Forgiveness of Jesus. Again, there are times when we feel low, inadequate, literally “small” – we call on the Holy Spirit who comes to us, charged with the Power to transform our life. We need to accept the Invitation of Jesus, to be part of His Holy Family.

In the gospel of John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me you will keep my Commandments; and I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever; that Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him for he is with you and will be in you”.

Taking the above words of Jesus let us consider how we can, in some way, unite our family with the Holiest Family.

1)            Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments”.

Can we guide our family to obey the first commandment i.e. to give God first place in our home? Can we keep Sunday sacred, holy and a day of rest? If we do this fervently, obeying the other commandments will come naturally.

2)            Jesus said, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper; the Spirit of Truth which the world cannot receive…”

We know that “the world” i.e. those who are against Jesus have filled this world with lies and deceit. But we who love Jesus, do we speak the truth as a way of life or has lying become a habit excused as “a joke”? We need the Spirit of Truth to help us to be truthful in all matters.

3)            “But you know the spirit of Truth, for he is with you and will be in you”.

Yes, the Spirit of Truth is in each of us. You and I know immediately when we lie or cheat, because the Holy Spirit inside us convicts our soul right then and there. But we put a lid on it.

Let’s take this invitation of Jesus into our celebration of the Mass. We are reminded at the very beginning that we belong to the Holiest Family as the Priest blesses us with the words “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor 13:13). Let us feel this oneness  as we listen to God’s Word; as we offer our sacrifice to God of Jesus in union with the Holy Spirit and when we finally receive Jesus.

Be one with the Holy Family because it is your Family. We need the Holy Spirit daily – when we pray; when we read God’s Word; when faced with adversity and need faith, courage and peace. In our struggles and battles against Satan, we must know deep within that we belong to the Holiest Family – DRAW ON THAT MIGHTY POWER EVERYDAY AND IN EVERY NEED!

As the Mass ends, we are blessed once again, “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” – to go into the world strengthened by a Power that has created this entire Universe from nothing. As you receive this blessing, close your eyes and from the depths of your soul, FEEL the Father, Son and Holy Spirit descending into your very being and swirling around you as a strong fortress. Stay blessed throughout the day.

I pray that the Holy Trinity will abide in your family forever to make yours a very Holy Family.

-J. Rodrigues