SPIRITUAL COMMUNION FOR TRINITY SUNDAY
✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today is our Patronal Festival
We reflect on the mystery of God on this Trinity Sunday.
We worship the One who creates, redeems and sanctifies,
three persons, one God, without end.
We ask God to stay close to us and sustain us in these challenging times.
Holy and Triune God, You have called us to live in peace,
yet we confess that our relationships are imperfect
and we are incomplete without You.
We confess our failures and shortcomings:
A brief pause for silent reflection follows
I confess to almighty God
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
and all the Angels and Saints,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
THE GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you, we adore you,
we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
COLLECT FOR TRINITY SUNDAY
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.
FIRST READING Deuteronomy 4:32-34. 39-40
Moses said to the people: ‘Put this question to the ages that are past,
that went before you, from the time God created man on earth:
Was there ever a word so majestic, from one end of heaven to the other?
Was anything ever heard?
Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God
speaking from the heart of the fire, as you heard it, and remain alive?
Has any god ventured to take to himself one nation
from the midst of another by ordeals, signs, wonders,
war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors –
all this that the Lord your God did for you before your eyes in Egypt?
‘Understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart:
the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath,
he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments
as I give them to you today, so that you and your children may prosper
and live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you for ever.’
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 32
Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
The word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love.
Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
By his word the heavens were made,
by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
He spoke; and they came to be.
He commanded; they sprang into being.
Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.
Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.
SECOND READING Romans 8:14-17
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God.
The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves
bringing fear into your lives again;
it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’
The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness
that we are children of God.
And if we are children we are heirs as well:
heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,
sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come..
Alleluia!
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven disciples set out for Galilee,
to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them.
When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated.
Jesus came up and spoke to them.
He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations;
baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you.
And know that I am with you always;
yes, to the end of time.”
HOMILY
Freddie, aged four-and-three-quarters,
was puzzled hearing his mother call his grandmother "Mum."
"But you’re Mum", he protested.
"I'm your mum but Granny's daughter, so she is my Mum."
"So you are a Mum and a daughter?"
"Yes" his Mum replied,
"and a wife because I'm married to Dad."
Freddie, aged four-and-three-quarters, thought hard.
"But you aren't three people!".
"No. I am one person with three identities."
God has three identities, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
but He is one Being.
Each identity of God is in relationship with the others
and each has a different role;
The mystery of the most Holy Trinity
is a basic doctrine of Faith in Christianity,
understandable, not with our heads but through our hearts.
It teaches us that there are three distinct Persons in one God,
sharing the same Divine Nature.
Our mind cannot grasp this doctrine
which teaches that 1+1+1 = 1 and not 3.
We believe in this Mystery because Jesus, who is God,
taught it clearly,
the Evangelists recorded it,
the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it
and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople
defined it as a dogma of Christian Faith.
Our God is far beyond our intellect.
All we can say is: Our Father is omnipresent
and so I live in Him because the universe exists in and through Him.
The Son, Jesus is Emmanuel – God with us
and so He is always with me
(as promised in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ last words to us);
I live with Him.
The Holy Spirit inspires us all,
from within us
and so the Holy Spirit lives in my heart
and breathes the Breath of The Living God through all things and all creatures.
However, in the First Epistle of John,
it is stated boldly and succinctly that “God is love”.
That’s it – love must be the basis of the Holy Trinity.
In knowing the Father (The Lover),
the Son (the Beloved)
and the Spirit (love),
we catch a glimpse that, in God’s innermost being,
God is a community of love,
a life of love among the three Persons.
We are called to stand in the presence of God, who is true Love,
to be awed and mystified and inspired by it,
to grow into it, and then to go and share it.
May we, who love God and are loved by God,
be ambassadors of the Holy Trinity
in the parish of Holy Trinity,
in whom people will see love lived-out
in life-changing, love-changed lives,
making a difference to this place, this parish, this city, this diocese,
where God has chosen us to be.
THE NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
INTERCESSION Let us give glory to the great God,
presenting the needs of all with trust and confidence.
That God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, would bless and guide us who claim The Most Holy Trinity’s patronage of our Church. Lord, hear us.
That God the Holy Trinity would bless and guide our Bishop, Norman; Tim Bishop of Winchester, our Churchwardens, our Parochial Church Council, and the priests who serve the Lord and God’s people in this place. Lord, hear us.
That within our congregation we might encourage one another to grow in faith and love, and serve the community to which God has called us. Lord, hear us.
That God the Holy Trinity would comfort and strengthen those who are housebound, and those who are seriously ill. Lord, hear us.
That there may be peace and justice for all in our world. Lord, hear us.
That we may fight racism and every kind of prejudice. Lord, hear us.
That the world may be rid of the scourge of the coronavirus. Lord, hear us
.
That people suffering because of COVID may be healed and consoled.
Lord, hear us.
That those who served and protected us during the lockdown may be rewarded. Lord, hear us
That as restrictions ease, we may continue to protect ourselves and each other. Lord, hear us.
For those we have lost to death (especially ……), that they may give glory and praise to God for evermore. ✠ Rest eternal grant to them O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May the rest in peace and rise in glory.
Gracious God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
help me to do all things for the greater good of all people.
I offer you my thoughts, words, deeds and all that I am.
I ask that Mary might add her prayers to my intentions,
and for all for whom I pray:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
To be there before you, Lord, that’s all.
To shut the eyes of my body,
To shut the eyes of my soul,
And be still and silent,
To expose myself to you who are there, exposed to me.
To be there before you, the Eternal Presence.
I am willing to feel nothing, Lord,
To see nothing, to hear nothing.
Empty of all ideas, of all images,
In the darkness.
Here I am, simply, to meet you without obstacles,
In the silence of faith, before you, Lord. M.Quoist ”Before You”
Sit for a moment in silence
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;
It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For with your Only Begotten Son and the Holy Spirit you are one God, one Lord: not in the unity of a single person, but in a Trinity of one substance. For what you have revealed to us of your glory we believe equally of your Son and of the Holy Spirit, so that, in the confessing of the true and eternal Godhead, you might be adored in what is proper to each Person, their unity in substance, and their equality in majesty. For this is praised by Angels and Archangels, Cherubim, too, and Seraphim, who never cease to cry out each day, as with one voice they acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. ✠ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles:
Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity
in accordance with your will.
Who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
Time to sit quietly to receive the Lord’s Presence spiritually.
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart …
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You,”
“To find oneself confronted by a piece of bread,
and then to be told that this is the presence of Jesus,
involves an act of faith: reason is inadequate.
This sign of bread both conceals and points to the presence of Jesus; it is Jesus himself, Son of God and Son of Mary,
Jesus of Bethlehem, of Nazareth, of the Last Supper,
Jesus of Calvary, Jesus of the Resurrection;
Jesus – the same yesterday, today and the same for ever.
Jesus, the Bread – the Window that opens on to the invisible.”
Carlo Carretto – “In Search of the Beyond”
ASKING GOD’S BLESSING
God the Holy Trinity make us strong in faith and love,
defend us on every side,
and guide us in truth and peace;
and may the blessing ✠ of Almighty God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon us, and remain with us always.
THE ANGELUS
The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts,
that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ
by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion
we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
