FEAST OF THE HOLY TRINITY

FEAST OF THE HOLY TRINITY
LET US BEGIN
AS WE BEGIN ALL THINGSIN THE NAME OF THE FATHERAND THE SONAND THE HOLY SPIRITAMEN.
WEEKS AFTER MY BIRTH
I WAS BAPTIZED
AND GIVEN MY NAME

FRANK ANTHONY
I BAPTIZE YOU
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER
AND THE SON
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
AMEN
AND I AM A MEMBER OF A CHURCH
FOUNDED BY CHRIST
AND MANDATED BY HIM
TO GO OUT
INTO THE WHOLE WORLD
AND BRING THEM TO HIM
BY BAPTIZING THEM
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER
AND THE SON
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
AMEN

AND AT THE HOUR OF MY DEATH
MAY SOMEONE SAY TO ME
RETURN SOUL
TO THE LIVING GOD
TO GOD THE FATHER
WHO MADE YOU
TO GOD THE SON WHO SAVED YOU
AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
WHO LED YOU
AMEN.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE TRINITY
ON THIS SUNDAYDEDICATED TO THE TRINITY
THE TRINITY AS WE KNOWIS A MYSTERY OF OUR FAITH.

THE FATHER IS GODAND EQUAL TO THE SONBUT IS NOT THE SON
THE SON IS GOD
AND EQUAL TO THE SPIRITBUT IS NOT THE SPIRIT
THE SPIRIT IS GOD
AND EQUAL TO THE FATHER
BUT IS NOT THE FATHER
I HAVE A BOOK ON THEOLOGY AT HOME
THE ARTICLE ON THE TRINITY
TAKES UP SIXTEEN PAGES
OF SMALL PRINT
TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY

BUT IT'S LIKE TRYING
TO COMPREHEND THE BEGINNING
OR ENDING OF ETERNITY.
IT USUALLY MAKES ME
GO TO SLEEP.
BUT WE BEGIN ALL THINGS IN THEIR NAMEWE ARE BAPTIZED IN THEIR NAMEWE ARE COMMISSIONEDTO BAPTIZE ALL NATIONSIN THEIR NAME.
I PUT IT TO YOU
WE SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THE TRINITY.
IT IS A PRINCIPAL OF SCIENCE
THAT ONE CAN ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND A MYSTERY
BY STUDYING ITS EFFECTS
USING SUCH A PRINCIPAL
MAN DISCOVERED THE ATOM
LONG BEFORE HE COULD SEE IT
EXPLODE IT
OR USE IT TO MAKE ELECTRICITY
MAN USED SUCH A PRINCIPAL
TO DISCOVER PLANETS
OUT ON THE EDGE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
BEFORE THERE WERE TELESCOPES
STRONG ENOUGH TO SEE THEM.

AND LONG BEFORE WE HAD ROCKETS
MAN KNEW
HOW HE WOULD TRAVEL
TO THE MOON AND BACK.
SO LET US EXPLORE THE TRINITY
THE FATHER LOVED US SO MUCHHE SENT HIS ONLY SONTO SUFFER AND DIEFOR US
THE SON OBEDIENT TO THE FATHER
WILLINGLY GOES TO THE CROSS
BUT THE SON TAKES NO GLORY TO HIMSELF
BUT RATHER SAYS
TO HAVE SEEN ME IS TO HAVE SEEN THE FATHER
THE SON SENDS THE COUNCILOR
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
WHO COMES
NOT TO DO HIS OWN WILL
BUT THAT OF THE CREATOR
AND THE SAVIOR
IF I WERE LOOKING AT A FAMILY
THAT ACTED THIS WAY
I WOULD SAY
SEE HOW THEY LOVE ONE ANOTHER
AND THAT IS WHAT THE TRINITY ISA LOVE RELATIONSHIP
AND TO THAT RELATIONSHIPWE HAVE BEEN CALLEDBY BAPTISM
AND WE HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONEDTO BRING ALL MEN TO THAT RELATIONSHIP
LOVE IS THE ANSWER
TO ALL OUR QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE TRINITY
AND HOW IT SHOULD INSPIRE US TO LIVE.
LOVE IS THE ANSWER

ON THIS WEEKEND
WE ALSO CELEBRATE A CIVIC HOLIDAY
CALLED MEMORIAL DAY
OR AS WE USED TO CALL IT
DECORATION DAY
IT WAS STARTED AFTER THE CIVIL WARTO COMMEMORATE ALL WHO DIED IN THAT WAR
GRAVES WERE VISITED
DECORATED WITH FLOWERS
AND FLAGS
EVENTUALLY MONUMENTS WERE RAISED
ENGRAVED WITH THESE WORDS
THAT THESE DEAD SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN
THAT THEIR SACRIFICE
WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN
THAT THERE WOULD BE A BETTER WORLD
AND THEN WE RAISED MONUMENTSTO THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
AND THEN WE RAISED MONUMENTS
TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR
THE GREAT WAR
THE WAR TO END ALL WARS
AND THEN WE RAISED MONUMENTSTO THE SECOND WORLD WAR
AND THEN WE RAISED MONUMENTS
TO THE KOREAN WAR
AND BELATEDLY WE RAISED A MONUMENTTO THE VIETNAM WAR
AND MAYBE WE SHALL RAISE A MONUMENTTO KUWAIT AND SOMALIA
AND ON ALL THESE MONUMENTS
THE SAME WORDS
THOSE THESE DEAD
SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN
I WOULD WITH ALL MY HEART PRAY
THAT THERE WOULD NEVER BEANOTHER DEAD SOLDIERBUT I KNOW IN MY HEARTI PRAY A FOOL'S PRAYERFOR I KNOW THERE ARE TIMESWHEN WE HAVE NO CHOICEBUT TO FIGHT
BUT WHERE THEN IS THE BETTER WORLDWE PROMISED ALL OUR DEAD
I SAY IT IS IN OUR HEARTSWHEN WE TURN TO ONE ANOTHERAND SAYI LOVE YOU
BETTER
WHEN WE TURN TO ONE ANOTHERAND ACT IN A LOVING MANNER
TO QUOTE A SIXTIES SONG
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTHAND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME
SO I CHALLENGE YOUAS I CHALLENGE MYSELF
LET ALL HATRED GO
I KNOW OF NO PROBLEM
PERSONAL OR WORLDWIDE
THAT HAS BEEN SOLVED BY MORE HATRED
RATHER BE KIND AND LOVING
THIS IS THE MESSAGE OF THE TRINITY
KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES
WHEN YOU HAVE LOVEONE FOR ANOTHER
WE OWE IT TO GODWE OWE TO OUR DEAD
THE WORDS
THOSE THESE DEAD
SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN
SHOULD BE ENGRAVED UPON OUR HEARTS
THEN MAYBE ONE DAY
THERE WILL BE NO LONGER A NEED
FOR MONUMENTS
EACH MORNING IS A NEW DAYAND A NEW BEGINNING
LET US BEGIN
AS WE BEGIN ALL THINGS
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER
AND THE SON
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
AMEN