Trinity Sunday 7 June 2020
Full Printable Version Here.
Collect
God our Father, who by sending into the world
the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification
made known to the human race your wondrous mystery,
grant us, we pray, that in professing the true faith,
we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory
and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Amen.
Readings and Commentaries
Now that Pentecost Sunday has brought the Easter festival to a close, we resume our journey through Ordinary Time. The first part of this season, occupying the period between Christmas and Lent, is always quite short. It lasts for somewhere between five and nine Sundays, depending on when Ash Wednesday occurs. This second and much longer part lasts roughly about six months, spanning the period between the seasons of Easter and Advent.
Not every Sunday during this stage is observed as Ordinary Time. To start with, the first two Sundays after Pentecost are always celebrated as the feasts of the Holy Trinity and of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Every year the readings for these two festivals replace those for the Sundays of Ordinary Time. This means that over the years we hear the readings for the Sixth to the Twelfth Sundays of Ordinary Time much less often than the rest.
In addition, in some years other feasts, such as Saints Peter and Paul, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and All Saints, can fall on a Sunday and take precedence on that day. Nonetheless, after Trinity and Corpus Christi, the vast majority of the Sundays in the second part of Ordinary Time are observed as such.
The mystery of the Trinity can be approached as a theological conundrum or as an adventure in faith. The word of God invites us to take the latter route. The readings for the day help us retrace some of the steps taken by our forebears in faith as they were led to discover Father, Son and Spirit communing in the one Godhead and enfolding the whole of creation in their love.
A reading from the book of Exodus 34:4–6, 8–9
With the two tablets of stone in his hands, Moses
went up the mountain of Sinai in the early morning as
the Lord had commanded him. And the Lord
descended in the form of a cloud, and Moses stood
with him there.
He called on the name of the Lord. The Lord passed
before him and proclaimed, ‘Lord, Lord, a God of
tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in
kindness and faithfulness.’ And Moses bowed down
to the ground at once and worshipped. ‘If I have
indeed won your favour, Lord,’ he said ‘let my Lord
come with us, I beg. True, they are a headstrong
people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and
adopt us as your heritage.’
Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:52–56
You are blest, Lord God of our fathers.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blest your glorious holy name.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
You are blest in the temple of your glory.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
You are blest on the throne of your kingdom.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
You are blest who gaze into the depths.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
You are blest in the firmament of the heaven.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 13:11–13
Brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect;
help one another. Be united; live in peace, and the
God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with the holy kiss. All the saints
send you greetings.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God
and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with you all.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 3:16–18
Jesus said to Nicodemus,
‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned;
but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already,
because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.’
Concluding Prayers
Almighty and all-merciful God,
lover of the human race, healer of all our wounds,
in whom there is no shadow of death,
save us in this time of crisis;
grant wisdom and courage to our leaders;
watch over all medical people
as they tend the sick and work for a cure;
stir in us a sense of solidarity beyond all isolation;
if our doors are closed, let our hearts be open.
By the power of your love destroy the virus of fear,
that hope may never die
and the light of Easter, the triumph of life,
may shine upon us and the whole world.
Through Jesus Christ, the Lord risen from the dead,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Holy Mary, health of the sick, pray for us.
St Joseph, guardian of us all, pray for us.
(Most Rev. Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane)
or
Gracious God,
We give thanks anew for your providence and presence.
We prayerfully seek your grace, amidst COVID-19 here and overseas.
We pray for those in need of healing.
We pray for your peace with those who are anxious or grieving.
We pray you will continue to strengthen and sustain all those who are serving in response.
We pray for your Holy Spirit’s discernment amidst the many choices and decisions facing our national, community and medical leaders.
We pray we each might see quickly what more we can do to help those who are vulnerable.
This prayer for our nation in the family of nations, with all that is on our hearts, we gather now and pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.