Sunday Readings
Commentary and Reflections
Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity
May 31, 2015
In preparation for this Sunday’s liturgy
As aid in focusing our homilies and sharing
Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM
1st Reading: Dt 4,32-34.39-40
Moses to the people
• Moses said to the people, 32 "Ask now of the days of old, before
your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from
one end of the sky to the other:
Questions
• Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of?
33 Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst
of fire, as you did, and live? 34 Or did any god venture to go and
take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by
testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with his strong hand and
outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your
God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
Implications
• 39 This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the
LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that
there is no other. 40 You must keep his statutes and
commandments which I enjoin on you today, that you and your
children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on
the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever."
We focus on God, whom we believe as the FATHER.
1st reading: Dt 4,32-34.39-40
Moses to the people
• Moses said to the people, 32 "Ask
now of the days of old, before your
time, ever since God created man
upon the earth; ask from one end
of the sky to the other:
Questions
• Did anything so great ever happen
before? Was it ever heard of? 33
Did a people ever hear the voice of
God speaking from the midst of
fire, as you did, and live? 34 Or did
any god venture to go and take a
nation for himself from the midst
of another nation, by testings, by
signs and wonders, by war, with his
strong hand and outstretched arm,
and by great terrors, all of which
the LORD, your God, did for you in
Egypt before your very eyes?
Commentary
• Vv. 32-34 talk about the
greatness of the God of Israel.
• The God of Israel (Yahweh) is an
unprecedented God. No one
was like him before.
• Four Questions:
• Did anything so great happen
before?
• Was it ever heard of?
• Did a people ever hear…?
• Or did any god venture…?
• God is a God who does
wondrous things for Israel.
• No one can duplicate him.
1st reading: Dt 4,32-34.39-40
Implications
• 39 This is why you must
now know, and fix in your
heart, that the LORD is
God in the heavens above
and on earth below, and
that there is no other. 40
You must keep his statutes
and commandments
which I enjoin on you
today, that you and your
children after you may
prosper, and that you may
have long life on the land
which the LORD, your
God, is giving you forever."
• V.39 reiterates that God is the
one and only. It reminds us of
the 1st commandment.
• V.40 speaks of the
implications of the greatness
of God.
• Keep his statutes and
commandments… you and
your children are enjoined.
• V.40 also specifies the benefit
of being obedient:
• That you may prosper.
• That you may have long life.
Reflections on the 1st reading
• The Father we are worshipping is a great God.
• He is a powerful creator-God and liberator-God, worthy
of all our praise and thanksgiving.
• We should also see Him as a law-giver God.
• This is where the problem lies.
• We don’t see Him this way, that is why, we consciously
or unconsciously violate His laws.
• If we want progress, we, including our children and our
children’s children, should not violate God’s laws.
Resp. Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22
• R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
• 4 Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are
trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the
Lord the earth is full.
• 6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made; by the breath
of his mouth all their host. 9 For he spoke, and it was made; he
commanded, and it stood forth.
• 18 See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon
those who hope for his kindness, 19 To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
• 20 Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield.
22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope
in you.
Resp. Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22
• R. (12b) Blessed the people
the Lord has chosen to be
his own.
• 4 Upright is the word of the
LORD, and all his works are
trustworthy.
5 He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord
the earth is full.
• 6 By the word of the LORD
the heavens were made; by
the breath of his mouth all
their host.
9 For he spoke, and it was
made; he commanded, and
it stood forth.
Commentary
• The responsorial psalm exclaims how
lucky are God’s people.
• V.4 gives a positive outlook on God’s
word and works. They are upright
and trustworthy.
• V.5 enumerates three priorities of
God:
• Justice, righteousness and
kindness
• Vv.6 and 9 speak of God’s creative
powers.
• God creates the heavens by his word.
• God creates the hosts (heavenly
bodies) by his breath.
• As God speaks, things come into
being.
Resp. Psalm: 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22
• 18 See, the eyes of the
LORD are upon those who
fear him, upon those who
hope for his kindness,
19 To deliver them from
death and preserve them in
spite of famine.
• 20 Our soul waits for the
LORD, who is our help and
our shield.
22 May your kindness, O
LORD, be upon us who have
put our hope in you.
• V.18 encourages people to
believe in this God.
• God is kind to those who fear
and trust him.
• In v.19, God saves them from
death in spite of famine (crisis).
• V.20 expresses the man praying
in the hope that someday soon
God will come to help.
• V.22 is a prayer directly
addressed to God that God may
be with the people who trusts
in him.
Reflections on the Psalm
•With the psalm, we are helped to acknowledge
God’s greatness.
•God’s powerful words and deeds speak of his
greatness.
•We, humans, and believers cannot but put our
hope in him, especially in times of trouble and
crisis.
•No believer should ever despair, because God
can help even by the breath of his mouth.
nd
2
reading: Rom 8,14-17
•14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are
children of God. 15 For you did not receive a
spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you
received a spirit of adoption, through which we
cry, "Abba, Father!" 16 The Spirit itself bears
witness with our spirit that we are children of
God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God
and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with
him so that we may also be glorified with him.
We focus on the Holy Spirit.
2nd reading: Rom 8,14-17
• 14 For those who are led
by the Spirit of God are
children of God. 15 For
you did not receive a
spirit of slavery to fall
back into fear, but you
received a spirit of
adoption, through which
we cry, "Abba, Father!"
16 The Spirit itself bears
witness with our spirit
that we are children of
God, 17 and if children,
then heirs, heirs of God
and joint heirs with
Christ, if only we suffer
with him so that we may
also be glorified with him.
Commentary
• The reading mentions the names of the
persons of the Holy Trinity: Spirit of God,
Abba Father, Christ
• V.14 makes a wonderful statement for
those who are led by the Spirit of God.
• They are considered children of God.
• In v.15, the Spirit of God liberates us from
slavery and fear.
• It liberates / frees us to cry out, “Abba,” to
enjoy sonship /daughtership under God
the Father.
2nd reading: Rom 8,14-17
• 14 For those who are led
by the Spirit of God are
children of God. 15 For
you did not receive a
spirit of slavery to fall
back into fear, but you
received a spirit of
adoption, through which
we cry, "Abba, Father!"
16 The Spirit itself bears
witness with our spirit
that we are children of
God, 17 and if children,
then heirs, heirs of God
and joint heirs with
Christ, if only we suffer
with him so that we may
also be glorified with him.
• V.16 states that the Spirit of God
bears witness (points to other
people) that we are God’s children.
• V.17 states how lucky are God’s
children.
• They are heirs with Christ and will be
glorified with God.
• But there is a condition.
• Only if they also undergo
suffering.
Reflections on the 2nd reading
• We are God’s children because we are led by the Spirit
of God.
• We must consider it a big deal, a big thing in our lives
to be counted as God’s children.
• Let us not take it for granted. This is non-negotiable. It
is a disaster if we compromise it.
• If we stand by it, we will be more intimate with God.
• We can call God, “Abba” (daddy, papsy).
• We live in freedom and unafraid, not as slaves to anyone.
• Do you live in freedom?
• Are you free to give yourself to others, even if it pains?
Gospel: Matthew 28,16-20
• 16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain
to which Jesus had ordered them. 17 When they saw
him, they worshiped, but they doubted. 18 Then Jesus
approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy
Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always,
until the end of the age."
We focus on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Holy Trinity).
Gospel: Matthew 28,16-20
A simple outline!
Eleven Disciples
• 16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to
which Jesus had ordered them. 17 When they saw him, they
worshiped, but they doubted.
Jesus’ command
• 18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, 20
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Jesus’ presence
• And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
Gospel: Matthew 28,16-20
Eleven Disciples
• 16 The eleven disciples went to
Galilee, to the mountain to
which Jesus had ordered them.
17 When they saw him, they
worshiped, but they doubted.
Jesus’ command
• 18 Then Jesus approached and
said to them, "All power in
heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19 Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the holy Spirit, 20
teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you.
Jesus’ presence
• And behold, I am with you
always, until the end of the
age."
Commentary
• The eleven disciples go to Galilee (where Jesus
ascends into heaven, acc. to Mt; but according
to Luke, ascension happens at Bethany) (v.16)
• V.17 tells of the mixed feelings of the apostles
on the resurrected Jesus.
• Vv.18-20 are tagged as The Great Commission:
to make disciples. The new disciples must be
taught to observe all commandments of Jesus.
• The apostles will baptize in the name of the
Holy Trinity.
• The Greek form for name is onomati (not
onomasi, plural) which is correctly
translated into English. If Matthew used the
plural form, the translation would read “In
the names of the F,S.HS.”
• Jesus assures us of his presence always in
v.20b.
Commentary, con’t
• The mention of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit (the
Trinity) is in passing only.
• It is mentioned in the context of Jesus’ ascension into
heaven.
• We must not forget that Jesus, who commissioned them, is
the resurrected Christ.
• The Trinitarian formula is expressed in the context of his
resurrected body and ascension.
• More particularly, the Triune God is mentioned in the
context of making disciples, through baptism.
• In the beginning of the gospel, there was baptism in water,
then in the Holy Spirit, now in the name of the F,S, and HS.
Commentary, con’t
• The picture of God-hood is now complete. God’s
self-disclosure is now complete in its formulation.
Never in the previous verses that the persons in
one Godhead were put together under one
singular name.
• The encounter with the Trinity is experienced in
the rite of baptism (immersion).
• Baptism here is the beginning of Christian
discipleship.
Commentary, con’t
• The mark of a Christian disciple is obedience to
God’s commandments.
• With the great commissioning, the apostles
become universal teachers. They will be teachers
on the go, teachers on the frontiers, transmitting
what they have learned from Jesus to their new
contacts.
• Jesus assures them of his ever presence.
Reflections on the gospel reading
• We are not worshipping an abstract God out there.
• The triune God is here to give us work.
• No one is unemployed in the eyes of God.
• As baptized Christians, we are enjoined to make
disciples and teach them God’s ways.
• There should be no such thing as un-catechized and uninstructed and un-committed Christians.
• The one who is giving orders is none other than the Holy
Trinity, the great One.
Tying the 3 readings and Psalm
• 1st reading is the action of the Father.
• The psalm expresses appreciation to God’s wonderful
words and deeds.
• 2nd reading is the action of the Holy Spirit.
• 3rd reading is the mention of the Trinitarian formula
(Father, Son and Holy Spirit), who commission us into
action.
• The psalm helps us to celebrate the goodness and
kindness of the Triune God in our history.
How to develop your homilies
•Begin with a short comment on the feast of
the Holy Trinity.
•This feast comes after the Pentecost.
•Now, the three persons are celebrated on the
same day.
•We, catholics, are Trinitarians.
•The Holy Trinity is a mystery to live by (not
something to explain). St. Augustine
accepts the difficulty in explaining this
mystery.
•According to him, we must first believe in
order to understand, not the other way
around, otherwise, we will never come to
believe.
•We should emphasize what the Triune God
does to us, humans.
• The 1st reading affirms that the Father does
wondrous and great things.
• He does the impossible.
• He is a powerful God who saves his people from
destruction.
• He is also a God who exacts obedience from his
loved ones.
• Prosperity (material and spiritual blessings) is
promised by God to those who fear the Lord and
keep his commandments.
• Evildoers (corrupt government officials, those who
induce others to sin or who destroy others) cannot
progress.
•The 2nd reading tells that the Holy Spirit helps
us build relationship with the Father.
•Through the Spirit, we become God’s children.
•We can call God our Father.
•Through the Holy Spirit, we can be intimate
with God in the way we address ourselves to
him.
•We have a privileged place in the eyes of God.
•We are entitled to inherit his kingdom.
•We enjoy life here and now and in the life
after.
• In the gospel reading, Jesus commissions the
apostles to make disciples, baptizing in the name of
the Trinity.
• The great commission is also addressed to us,
believers.
• We are also commanded to teach.
• We teach that in one God, there are three divine
persons (Blessed Trinity).
• And all the 3 persons in the Blessed Trinity are
active in our history.
• Each Christian should show his/her eagerness to
make disciples and teach them how to love the
Trinity.
• Education, according to the gospel, must lead
students (disciples) to obey the commands of God
(love, relationship, harmony, forgiveness, love
for the poor, justice and peace, respect for
the rights of others, etc.)
• Education must teach human and spiritual values.
• It must lead us to act and live like the Holy Trinity
(for ever in love, for ever one, for ever acting
for the other, communitarian).
• In the eucharist, we receive Jesus in the form of bread
and wine.
• The eucharist is a way of Jesus’ fulfilling his promise to
be with us till the end of time.
• The eucharist reminds us of our communion, not only
with Jesus, but with the Holy Trinity.
• The mass contains many Trinitarian formulas: the Sign of
the Cross, the Glory, the opening prayer, The Creed, the
blessing, etc.
• The mass is a celebration of the mystery of the Holy
Trinity.
Our Context of Sin and Grace
• Apostates
• Heretics
• Failure to perceive God’s
movements in one’s life
• Waste of time and money in
many schools, public and
private, due to poor facilities
• No interest in mission of many
catholics
• Feeling inadequate to carry out
the teaching duties of
Christians
• No study habits
• Fond of (dangerous) short cuts
• Communitarian
• Trinitarian
• Fraternal
• BECs
• Creative and liberative
communities
• Teamwork, team building
• Strong faith in the power
of God
• Formation
• High educational standards
• Human and spiritual values
Suggested Songs
• God Father Praise and Glory
• The Living God by Sebastian Temple