- 1. Welcome to our Bible Study June 19, 2011 Solemnity of the
Most Holy Trinity A In preparation for this Sundays Liturgy In aid
of focusing our homilies and sharing Prepared by Fr. Cielo R.
Almazan, OFM
2. 1 streading: Exodus 34,4b-6.8-9
- 4 Early the next morning, Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD
had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets.5 Having come
down in a cloud, the LORD stood with him there and proclaimed his
name, "LORD."6 Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out, "The
LORD, the LORD,a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich
in kindness and fidelity . 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground
in worship.9 Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do
come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people;
yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your
own."
The focus is on God the Father. 3. 1 streading: Exodus
34,4b-6.8-9
- 4 Early the next morning, Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD
had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets.
- 5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with him there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD."6 Thus the LORD passed before him
and cried out, "The LORD, the LORD,a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity .
- 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.9 Then he
said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our
company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our
wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."
A simple outline! 4. 1 streading: Exodus 34,4b-6.8-9
- 4 Early the next morning, Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD
had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets.
- 5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with him there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD."6 Thus the LORD passed before him
and cried out, "The LORD, the LORD,a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity .
- 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.9 Then he
said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our
company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our
wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."
- In v.4, Moses obeys God and he goes up to the mountain to meet
him.
- In v.5, God comes down, stands with Moses and proclaims his
name, Lord.
- In v.6, the Lord declares himself to be a merciful and gracious
God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.
- In v.8, Moses acknowledges God by showing a sign of
reverence.
- In v.9, Moses asks a favor from God. He invites him to go to
his people (though stiff-necked) and to pardon their sins and to
receive them as his own.
- Here, Moses intercedes for his people.
5. Reflections on the 1 streading
- God is forgiving to his wayward people.
- Though he can be turned off, like a human being, by the
unbecoming behavior of his chosen people, God can still have a lot
of patience and understanding.
- The text is an invitation to all of us, sinners, to go back to
him.
- No one should be afraid to turn back to him.
6. Resp. Ps. Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
- R. (52b)Glory and praise for ever!
- 52 Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; 53 And blessed is your
holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all
ages.
- 54 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
- 55 Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy
and exalted above all forever.
- 56 Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne
upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
7. Resp. Ps. Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
- R. (52b)Glory and praise for ever!
- 52 Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; 53 And blessed is your
holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all
ages.
- 54 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
- 55 Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy
and exalted above all forever.
- 56 Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne
upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
- The responsorial psalm comes not from the book of Psalms, but
from the book of Daniel.
- It is a psalm / prayer blessing and praising God.
- Each verse repeats, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever
/ for all ages.
- Vv.52-53 see God as the God of their history (fathers), with
holy and glorious name.
- Vv.54-56 state where God is praised:
-
- On the throne of his kingdom
-
- On the throne upon the cherubim
8. Reflection on the Psalm
- The purpose of our life is not just to eat and drink, but to
give praise to the Lord.
- It is unbecoming of us if we dont recognize Gods power and
glory.
- We should spend our prime time acknowledging his majesty.
9. 2 ndreading: 2 Corinthians 13,11-13
- 11 Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one
another, 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.
All the holy ones greet you.13 The grace of theLord Jesus Christand
thelove of Godand the fellowship of theholy Spiritbe with all of
you.
The focus is on theTrinity . 10. 2 ndreading: 2 Corinthians
13,11-13
- 11 Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one
another, 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.
All the holy ones greet you.
- 13 The grace of theLord Jesus Christand thelove of Godand the
fellowship of theholy Spiritbe with all of you.
A simple outline! 11. 2 ndreading: 2 Corinthians 13,11-13
- 11 Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one
another, 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.
All the holy ones greet you.
- 13 The grace of theLord Jesus Christand thelove of Godand the
fellowship of theholy Spiritbe with all of you.
- Vv.11-12give exhortations.
- Only two sentences in vv.11-12 are not in the imperative
mood.
-
- The God of love and peace will be with you.
-
- All the holy ones greet you.
- In v.13, Paul greets the Corinthians. The liturgy has adopted
this formula in the greetings at the beginning of the mass.
12. Reflections on the 2 ndreading
- St. Paul, the author, expresses his fatherly concern to the
Christians in Corinth.
- As a missionary, preacher and teacher, he reminds them of the
good Christian behaviors.
- The recommended Christian behaviors are useful for the building
up of the Christian community in Corinth.
- We, Christians, living at the present age, need also to exhibit
good behavior towards others.
- We remind ourselves to be: joyful and peaceable.
- We acknowledge the presence of each one, by wishing them well,
in the name of the Holy Trinity.
13. Gospel reading: John 3,16-18
- 16 ForGodso loved the world that he gave his onlySon , 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 onlySon of God .
The focus is on the Father and the Son. 14. Gospel reading: John
3,16-18
- 16 ForGodso loved the world that he gave his onlySon , 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 onlySon of God .
A simple outline! 15. Gospel reading: John 3,16-18
- 16 ForGodso loved the world that he gave his onlySon , 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 onlySon of God .
- V.16 affirms Gods love to the world.
- It is not just an ordinary love.
- It is a passionate love, as indicated in the phrase
Godsoloved
- It is also indicated by the fact that he gives his only
Son.
- His Son is not an ordinary gift.
- It is a total gift of Himself.
- Faith in him brings about life eternal, not perdition.
- V.17 reinforces Gods purpose for sending his Son: that the
world might be saved through him, not to condemn it.
- Notice here that the world represents humans, not the world
that is opposed to God.
16. Gospel reading: John 3,16-18
- 16 ForGodso loved the world that he gave his onlySon , 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 onlySon of God .
- V.18 makes an encouraging statement to those, who want eternal
life and salvation.
- All they have to do is to believe in the Son.
- V.18 also mentions about those who dont believe and what
happens to them: condemnation.
- Those who dont believe are predestined to be condemned, because
they have not believed in the first place.
- It is a big mistake not to believe in the only Son of God.
17. Reflections on the gospel reading
- The gospel reading states Gods loving purpose to the world
(humanity): eternal life.
- What the world (humanity) needs to do is to believe (accept) in
the only Son of God, who comes precisely to save us.
- Those who miss the point (purpose) of God has devastating
effect: perdition, condemnation, no hope.
- Listeners of this gospel message should take seriously Gods
Son.
18. Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm
- Thefirst readingencourages the people (sinners) to have hope in
God because he isa merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and
rich in kindness and fidelity.
- Thesecond readingencourages good Christian behavior. The
Christian must be positive in his dealings with other people.
Christians must be saints (holy).
- Thegospel readingencourages the readers and listeners (sinners)
to believe in Jesus in order to have life eternal.
19. How to develop your homily / sharing
- What is the meaning of the HolyTrinityto us?
- TheFatheris a merciful God, who gives consideration to sinners
(stiff necked people).(1 streading)
- TheSonis a gift of God, and when received (believed) brings us
to salvation. (gospel)
- Real believers ofJesuswill necessarily exhibit inspiring
behavior to other people.(2 ndreading)
- Where is theHoly Spirit ? We know him together with the Father
and the Son in the second reading.
20.
- We can develop the meaning of the greeting, v.13, in the second
reading:
- The grace of theLord Jesus Christand thelove of Godand the
fellowship of theholy Spiritbe with all of you.
- Thegraceof ourLord Jesus Christ :charis , favor
- TheloveofGod :agape , love, the highest Christian virtue
- Thefellowshipof theHoly Spirit :koinonia , participation,
sharing
- What more can we ask if we have them all as desired in this
greeting?
- This is the Christian greetingpar excellence , rightly
considered by the liturgists, who put it at the start of the
Mass.
21.
- If thetriune Godis with us and if we are filled with the gifts,
which each person of theTrinitygives us, there is nothing more to
ask.
- This is what we call the fullness of life.
- Our hearts cannot but rejoice and be thankful.
- Our minds cannot but put God and his gifts into our memory. We
live and grow in pleasant memories.
- Our souls cannot but soar up into heaven, our true home, which
can be anticipated now through our proper Christian behavior.
22.
- We, Catholics, believe in the HolyTrinity .
- We must be the luckiest and the happiest believers in the
world.
- We areTrinitarians,who believe in a super gracious and merciful
God.
- AsTrinitarians , we live our faith by making the sign of the
cross at the beginning and end of our prayers and liturgies.
- We are baptized in the name of the HolyTrinity .
23.
- In theeucharist , we affirm our faith in the Trinity.
- In theeucharist , we give glory to the Holy Trinity.
- Theeuchariststrengthens our belief in the Holy Trinity, the
holy Community, that makes us holy as a community.
- In theeucharist , we participate in the life of the
Trinity.
24. Our Context of Sin and Grace
- No faith in the Triune God
- No faith in the merciful God
- Does not acknowledge Gods greatness
- Faith that leads to community life
- Faith that leads to thankfulness and celebration
- Living in the mystery of the Trinity
The End 25. Suggested Songs
- God Father Praise and Glory
- The Living God by Sebastian Temple
