Something old and something new

Last weekend, we inaugurated the new parish of Saint Bernadette.  When we walked through the doors, we entered into sacred space, for in this place, we encounter our God.  Here, we give thanks for the many blessings we have received; here, we receive the special food of the Eucharist that helps us to grow in our faith.  This parish is new, but God, who we meet here is anything but new.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity and we contemplate the mystery of our God who is One in a communion of three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  This is an occasion for celebrating with ever-renewed awe, our God who is love, who freely offers us his life and asks us to defend his life in the world (Regina Coeli, 27 May 2018).

The first reading for today's Mass, taken from the Book of Proverbs, tells us that God's Wisdom was created at the beginning of his work ... before the mountains had been shaped ... when he had not yet made the earth and fields (Prov 8:22, 25-26).  Our God is anything but new but we are eternally renewed in his presence.

This is the power of love, the power of the gift that our God offers to us whenever we meet in this place, whenever we open our hearts in prayer and invite an encounter with the One who has created us.  Here in this holy place, we gather week after week.  Each of us brings with us the stories of our own lives: some of us are happy when we come through the doors, others are perplexed, some may be hurting and others may be searching.  Wherever we are, whatever we bring, our God meets us where we are and teaches us how to follow in his footsteps.

In this place, we hear the words of scripture proclaimed: stories about Jesus, the Son of God; stories about his disciples and others who listened - like us - to his inspiring words.  How strange it must have been for the disciples to hear Jesus say to them that day: I still have many things to say to you, but ... when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you ... (Jn 16:12-13).  Jesus had already shared so much with them.  It was quite natural that they should expect him to continue teaching them more and more lessons.  Is this not what we still do when we encounter someone we have come to know and love?  Do we not expect that person to be around forever, to inspire us, to teach us?

Thankfully, Jesus' teachings did not end when his earthly life came to a close.  Last weekend, we celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost: the day on which the Holy Spirit, the gift of God, descended upon the apostles.  The Holy Spirit continues to live among God's people, enlivening us and making it possible for us to constantly have the love of God poured into our hearts (Rom 5:5).

Today let us give thanks to God for the gift that He has given.  May our God, who is One in a communion of three persons, continue to pour his love into our hearts so that we can go out from this place, renewed in our faith and ready to be witnesses of love for others.