“Since you are children of God, God has sent into your hearts the spirit of His Son, the Spirit Who cries out, Abba, Father.”

When I was a child, the final reading at Mass was the prologue of the Gospel according to John…”In the beginning was the Word…” Its magnificence always lifted me out of sadness, and gave me a sense of awe of the beauty of the Creation in which we live.

Today’s reading from the book of Wisdom reminds me of those days…“when I behold your heavens… the moon and the stars that you set in place…” Wisdom is often personified as woman, one who participates in God’s creation – in May, it reminds us of Mary’s beautiful act of consent to giving birth to Jesus.

Our Trinitarian God – our Father who created the universes that we are just now beginning to see, his Son who brings mercy and love to our troubled world, and the Holy Spirit, whose strength gives us the power to overcome evil and suffering in the here-and-now, is celebrated in our Solemnity today.

We usually “represent” the Trinity as a triangle, although a circle is a more meaningful image to me. Native people see all of creation, all of life, as a circle – all encompassing, all-embracing. Isn’t this at least a part of what “catholic” – being a Catholic – means? Isn’t it our mission to reach out to others and bring them into a circle of love? St. Paul says that the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, and this will bring us the hope and strength we need.

God, in the roles of Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, inspires and enables us to reach out to help our dear neighbors, materially or spiritually, no matter where – or who – they are. If we cannot help them in person, we can pray for everyone in need of prayer…the Holy Spirit will inspire us. God’s love is meant for everyone.

Dorothy A. Hathway, CSJA