Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, May 31, 2026

Today is Holy Trinity Sunday. When we studied the Trinity in seminary, our instructor said that the Father could not be the Father without the Son and the Son could not be the Son without the Father. He described the Spirit as the love between the Father and the Son. He then reminded us that the Father was not the Son, the Son was not the Father, and neither the Father nor the Son was the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is all about the loving relationships between the three distinct persons in our one God.

In our Sacred Heart Adoration Chapel, there are a series of icons on the back wall that depict major events in salvation history. The icon farthest to the left is based on a 15th-century painting by Andrei Rublev. Widely considered the most famous Russian icon, it depicts the biblical story from Genesis in which three men visited Abraham and Sarah. Often, the men are seen as angels, but Rublev interpreted the men as the three persons of the Holy Trinity. The three identical angels represent the Father (left), the Son (center), and the Holy Spirit (right). They sit in a circular arrangement, symbolizing eternity and equality. The visit of the Holy Trinity is the first event in salvation history because it reveals, for the first time, the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in relationship with God the Father.

Relationships build on each other. Being a good son helps a man to be a good husband. Being a good husband helps a man to be a good father. My loving relationships with Rosemary and John taught me to be a better man, shaped me in a particular way, and enriched my priesthood. Without the influence of those relationships, there would have been no reason for God to call me to the priesthood. Nearly 30 years with Rosemary and more than 30 years with John, have provided the Holy Spirit with an excellent foundation upon which to build, shape, and refine my priesthood.

In our families, our careers, and our faith journeys, relationships are everything. Our Church is built on the loving relationship of the Holy Trinity and upon all of the relationships that enable us to hear and follow the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Fr. Mike