Sabbath Sense Saturday

Greetings and Welcome to Sabbath Sense Saturday ~

We celebrate a few remarkable days tomorrow, we celebrate another awesome solemnity in the Catholic Church, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and we celebrate Father's Day!!!

There is an amazing bible passage in the Gospel reading for tomorrow that will help to set the stage for today's reflection.

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life."

John 3:16

For the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate how Christ is present with us, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Father - Our creator and protector 

Son - The one who showed us how to love by laying down his life for us. 

Holy Spirit - The constant guide that we have with us to lead and direct us - daily, minute to minute - AMEN!

The great mystery that lies in the Holy Trinity is that all three are found in one being...God...as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When working with Middle School students I would always use the example of Jello to explain how three can be separate but one. Jello made up of three substances, hot water, cold water, and sugar, they each are separate but yet you can combine them and they are one substance, the Holy Trinity is one being.

This example of jello is not meant to undermine or make light in anyway of the marvelous, great theological mystery that the Trinity is and I do truly believe that it is a mystery for a reason it goes beyond our human ability to comprehend. Non-the-less though the jello is a fun learning tool for students.

When we look at the Holy Trinity the first element is God as Father. God gives us an example of love and protection, two virtues of a great earthly father.

I have been blessed with an amazing father here on earth, one that has protected and provided for me, as well as my mom and my younger brother throughout our life. The picture above is one of my favorite pictures of my dad and I, it was taken on my wedding day as my dad was walking me up the aisle.

I feel as if the picture tells a story of love, a story that looks at the past and the future.

My face is one of love, hope, and excitement as I look at my groom, my soon to be husband at that point. I am thinking of the future, looking ahead at what will be.

My father, on the other hand is looking at the past, at the road that brought me to this day. He is hoping praying that he can trust the guy that stands at the foot of the alter, waiting to take my hand in marriage. 

Soon my dad will hand me over, he will literally, in many ways, give me away. He will allow me to take another name, he will turn over part of the responsibility of protecting and caring for me to someone else. 

I feel that so many people in our society do not respect the role of the father, and that likewise so many fathers do not take on the proper responsibility of being the protector of being the father that is willing to lay down his life for his children. 

So on this Fathers Day I would like to take a moment to say thank you to my father for showing me what love is, and for constantly providing for and protecting my mother and us kids, through all the trials of life, even to this day.

I also think it is very appropriate to pray for all men today, for all fathers that they will have the courage and the strength to stand up and be real men, men of integrity and faith, showing true love and chivalry.

Blessings,
Joy