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On the Most Holy Trinity

Here is the Holy Father's address before and after the recitation of the Angelus today to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

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Dear brothers and sisters!

Hello! This morning I made my first pastoral visit to a parish of the Diocese of Rome. I thank the Lord and I ask you to pray for my pastoral service and this Church of Rome, which has the mission of presiding in universal charity.

Today is Trinity Sunday. The light of Easter renews in us every year the joy and stupor of the faith: let us understand that God is not something vague, our God is not something vaporous, he is concrete, he is not an abstraction, but has a name: “God is love.” It is not a sentimental or emotive love, but the love of the Father that is the origin of every life, the love of the Son who dies on the cross and rises, the love of the Spirit, who renews man and the world. Understanding that God is love does us a lot of good, because it teaches us to love, to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself to us, to walk with us. Jesus walks with us along the road of life.

The Most Holy Trinity is not the product of human reasoning; it is the face with which God himself revealed himself, not from the height of a cathedra, but walking with humanity. It is precisely Jesus who revealed the Father and promised us the Holy Spirit. God walked with his people in the history of the people of Israel and Jesus always walked with us and promised us the Holy Spirit, who is fire, who teaches us all the things that we do not know, who guides us from within, he gives us the good ideas and the good inspirations.

Today we praise God not for a particular mystery but for himself, “for his great glory,” as the liturgical hymn says. We praise him and we thank him because he is Love, and because he calls us to enter into the embrace of his communion, which is eternal life.

Let us place our praises in the hands of the Virgin Mary. She, the most humble of creatures, through Christ has already arrived at the goal of the earthly pilgrimage: she is already in the glory of the Trinity. Because of this Mary our Mother, Our Lady, shines for us as a sign of sure hope. She is the Mother of hope; on our journey, on our road, she is the Mother of hope. She is also the Mother who consoles us, the Mother of consolation and the Mother who is with us on the journey. Now we all pray to Our Lady together, our Mother who accompanies us on the journey.

[Following the recitation of the Angelus the Holy Father made the following remarks:]

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday, in Palermo, Don Giuseppe Puglisi, priest and martyr, killed by the mafia in 1993, was beatified. Don Puglisi was an exemplary priest, especially dedicated to pastoral work with young people. Teaching them according to the Gospel, he snatched them out of the hands of organized crime, and so they tried to defeat him by killing him. In fact, however, he is the one who won, with the risen Christ. I think of the many sufferings of men and women, and of children, who are exploited by the mafia, who exploit them by forcing them into work that makes them slaves, with prostitution, with many social pressures. The mafia is behind this exploitation and slavery. Let us pray to the Lord that he convert the hearts of these people. They cannot do this! They cannot make us, their brothers, slaves! We must pray to the Lord! Let us pray that these mafiosi convert to God and praise God through the shining witness of Don Giuseppe Puglisi, and let us treasure his example!

I greet with affection all of the pilgrims present, the families, the parish groups, who have come from Italy, Spain, France and many other countries. I greet in particular the Associazione Nazionale San Paolo degli Oratori e dei Circoli Giovanili (National Association of St. Paul of Oratories and Youth Groups). Dear friends, may St. Philip Neri, whom we remember today, and Bl. Giuseppe Puglisi assist you in your efforts. I greet the group of Chinese Catholics who are present, who have gathered in Rome to pray for the Church in China, invoking the intercession of Mary Our Help.

My thoughts go out to those who promote the “Giornate del Sollievo” (Day of Relief) for the sick who are close to the end of their earthly journey; and to the Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association). Thank you for your work! I greet the Associazione Nazionale Arma di Cavalleria (National Calvary Corps Association), and the faithful of Fiumicello, near Padova.

I wish everyone a good Sunday and a good lunch!

[Translation by Joseph Trabbic]

Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY JN 16:12-15

We hold these truths

Fr. Jerry J. Pokorsky

The art of practical politics, of course, has its place. Through the give and take of practical politics, for example, highways and universities are built in one area of a state rather than in another area. But political maneuvering has — or should have — strict limits. When political scheming violates just laws, it becomes ugly cronyism. When it violates the norms of justice and Christian principle it becomes outright moral corruption. Then again in many circumstances there should be no role for political manipulation at all.

But what is the alternative, and where do we find it?

The demands of practical politics should do no violence to the rights that are derived from self-evident truths of man’s dignity. The Declaration of Independence attempts to enumerate such truths: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” As Catholics, we may add an adjective here and there for purposes of clarity (such as “correctly morally ordered” liberty). Though our founding fathers accepted the premise of self-evident truths, that definition is being eroded and “reinvented” in our day by political means. But it is dangerous to tamper with self-evident truths.

By denying self-evident or received truths in favor of demands of political interests of the day, our culture has become, to a large extent schizophrenic, even psychopathic. A true moral monster in Cleveland is ostracized for alleged kidnapping, rape and forced abortion. But politicians at the highest levels of government — some of whom are professed Catholics — are rewarded with our votes for promoting abortion on demand, even infanticide (commonly defined as killing a baby after birth) in the event of botched abortions. Apparently, for many, the right to life is not so self-evident after all.

As a result of political pressure widespread acceptance is claimed for “gay marriage,” a concept that just a few decades ago would have been considered preposterously incongruous. Meanwhile, proponents of traditional marriage are demonized for unjustly — and presumably, in the future, illegally — “excluding” others from the equal “right” to marriage. The inability to recognize self-evident truths results in a moral obtuseness that becomes extremely difficult to challenge. Defending traditional marriage presents the same difficulties as defending any other “self-evident truth.” Try to “defend” the law of gravity, for example.

Ironically our obsession with using politics to define moral truths eliminates any possibility of attaining those truths with satisfaction and certainty. In his dialog with Christ, Pontius Pilate invoked his political power: “Do you not know that I have authority to release you and have authority to crucify you?” (Jn 19:10). With Truth Incarnate standing before him Pilate wasted his unique opportunity to “know the truth” and to be “set free” (Jn 8:32). His politics blinded him. All he could mutter in his hubris and political skepticism was, “What is truth?” (Jn 18:38).

God reveals Himself to hearts that receive, not through argument or position of power, but in humility — to hearts that desire to receive (not define) the truth. When the Ten Commandments are received in humility and faith, we discover with delight, along with St. Paul, that these laws have already been inscribed onto our hearts. (2 Cor 3:3). Mary truly received the revelation of the Incarnation with a humility that included the loving and truth-seeking question, “How will this be?” (Lk 1:34). Her reward was immediate: “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” Mary’s example of openness and humility is foundational to every theological method and the key to grasping “self-evident truths.”

This Sunday we celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, one God in three persons. The mystery is foundational to our Christian faith and, when accepted with docility, allows us to peer into the infinite and firmly grasp otherwise unattainable truths that direct and lead us to happiness. Our acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity directs our attention to truths that open doors to the proper understanding of God, our selves, marriage and even the just ordering of society. We discover that all authentic human covenants ought to reflect this mysterious and perfect “covenant of love” within God Himself. The blessed Trinity is a mysterious covenant of perfect love, life, liberty and happiness. Indeed in contemplation we may even come to see more clearly the dogma of the blessed Trinity as the basis for all “self-evident truths” because all men are imprinted with God’s image.

When seeking the truths of our faith, the truths of salvation, and the truths of our very existence, we need not employ the art of practical politics. We need a greater resolve to receive in humility and contemplate with reverence the mysteries of God proclaimed by the church.

Fr. Pokorsky is pastor of St. Michael Church in Annandale