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The LampLight
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 THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
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SAVES US
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Sermon of Fr. Martinus S., PR -
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Parish of
St. Joseph, Duri, as
translated by Dan Viray
- Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
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- We believe in the Most Holy Trinity, but by our human
capacity, it is hard to comprehend and understand the mystery of the
Holy Trinity in our life. How can we understand that God, the One and
Only, is subsisting in three distinct Persons?
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- To understand and comprehend who is this Holy Trinity, we
hav
 e
to make an analogy with the sun. There is only one sun and it has three
features that cannot be separated from one another. First, it is round;
second, it gives light or radiance; and, third, it gives off heat.
Thus, the sun is round, shines and emits heat. If we remove one
feature, then it is not a sun anymore.
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- The Holy Trinity can be described like a sun. Our God is
one, one God with three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. These three distinct divine Persons are one and cannot be
separated from one another. The union of these three Persons, Father,
Son and the Holy Spirit, is the one we know as the Holy Trinity. So,
God is one not three, but one God who has three personalities. The
three Persons of God is eternal, everlasting, no beginning and no end;
so no one comes before or after. The Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit are all eternal, no beginning and no end.
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- The Holy Trinity saves us. God the Father is the Creator
of the whole world. He created us and up to now He is still creating.
We are certain that God the Father is still creating and taking care of
His creations. He arranges the sun to shine and the earth to rotate on
its axis, so that we can have day and night.
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- God the Son has a role to play in the redemption and
salvation of mankind. He became man, lived as man, suffered, crucified,
died and resurrected among the dead to redeem and save mankind. The
saving works of Jesus, God the Son, continue up to this time.
Jesus even commissioned His apostles to proclaim the Gospel, to proclaim
the saving works of God up to the ends of the earth.
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- The Holy Spirit’s role is to sanctify, guide, inspire and
sustain His Church. Up to the present time, Christ’s Church is being
inspired and sustained by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches and
guides His Church so it will not go astray. This Holy Spirit also makes
the Church Holy.
-
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- Our belief that the Holy Trinity saves us was manifested
during Baptism. The priest baptized us by pouring water on our forehead
saying, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit.” The one who cleansed our sins and purified us until
we become holy children of God is not the priest who baptized us, but
the power of the Holy Trinity through the priest and water used to
baptize us.
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- The Holy Trinity saves us and forgives our sins through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation the
priest gives us absolution with the words: “Through the unity of the
Holy Church,
our Lord Jesus Christ forgives you and I absolve you from your sins in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Our sins
are forgiven not by the priest, but the Holy Trinity forgives our sins
through the intercession of the priest.
-
- Making the sign of the Cross at the beginning
of our prayers also expresses our belief in the Holy Trinity. If so,
what is the meaning and significance of making the sign of the Cross for
us Catholics? It is true that only Catholics pray this prayer. This is
the meaning and significance of the sign of the Cross:
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- 1. The sign of the Cross is an expression of our belief
in the Holy Trinity; that we are saved by the Holy Trinity.
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- 2. In making the sign of the Cross, we are giving witness
to other people about the saving works of the Holy Trinity, which is a
Catholic belief. We want to proclaim the saving works of the Holy
Trinity to other people and these saving works are still ongoing.
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- 3. In making the sign of the Cross, we want to take part
in, to continue the work of the Holy Trinity.
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- The sign of the Cross we make on our forehead, chest and
shoulders has a symbolic meaning. Pointing to our forehead refers to
our mind, pointing to our chest refers to our heart, and our left and
right shoulders symbolize our work. So, making the sign of the Cross
means we are willing to offer our thoughts, hearts, works and all that
we are to the Holy Trinity. It is God’s will to start every activity
with a sign of the Cross. But, if there is a Catholic who wants to
steal and he makes a sign on the Cross, that prayer is not proper and
has no use because stealing is not God’s will.
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- I believe that if we make the sign of the Cross consciously
and full of faith, our prayers will surely affect our lives and we will
do more good. Many Catholics make the sign of the Cross out of habit,
sometimes not realizing its importance and not experiencing the fruit of
a better life. In making the sign of the Cross fervently, we honor the
Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World.
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- As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we
are reminded that the Most Holy Trinity saves us. As followers of
Jesus, He calls and commissions us to join in the saving works of the
Most Holy Trinity. If we take part in the saving works of God, the Holy
Trinity will also save us. Amen.
- TELL US LIKE IT IS!
- Has
something wonderful and unique happened in your life lately? Did God
answer your prayer in a very unexpected way? Did you, like Isaiah, meet
God’s whisper?
- Have you felt His
powerful hand working in your life recently?
- Everyday, people
are experiencing God’s mighty Word in their lives and it is a pity that
very few know about it. Do you have a story to tell? Some Good News to
share?
- E-mail us (genesis@catholic.org) or fax us
(021-6627384), and tell us about it. That’s right! You don’t have to be
a great writer to do this. We can help you write it – just tell us like
it is!
- Don’t forget to
write the subject: “Let Me Tell You A Story”
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IN THIS ISSUE:
HIS Servant
by Bro. Pete Lapid
Our Faith
By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
Place of Refuge
By Philip Yuson
Surabaya Corner
By Ramon Martillano
The LampLight
By Fr. Martinus S., PR
Community Life ~ Here's the Latest
By Pinky Torres
Genesis Chronicles
By Loren Sanchez
G* Kidspace
By Tintin Magbitang
Straight from the Heart
By Carolle Bautista
God Answers Prayers
By Beth Manibog
enesis Mailbox
On Focus
By Sansu Garin
Saint for the Month
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