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Gospel Reading Matthew 28:16-20 Brief

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Gospel Reading Matthew 28:16-20 Brief CATHOLIC CONVERSATIONS ON THE SCRIPTURES Archdiocese of Miami - Ministry of Christian Formation June 7, 2009 Most Holy Trinity (Cycle B) Gospel reading Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven* disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” *Recalls the tragic defection of Judas Brief commentary: Today, the universal Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity developed first out of the Scriptures and the communal prayer of the early church. The doctrine was officially formulated at the Councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381).The Trinity is the affirmation of God’s intimate communion with us through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that God intervenes in our lives and is involved in human history. From the beginning of creation God tried to communicate and relate with all creatures. In the Old Testament God did so through events and the prophets. And in the fullness of time, God became one with humanity in Jesus Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, God continues to be altogether present to us, seeking everlasting communion with all creatures. The Incarnation, the Word made flesh, is the ultimate proof of God’s infinite love for humanity by becoming one with us. Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God, our model for the Beatitudes, and the norm of the new law: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn 15:12) The brief passage we read today is known as the “Great Commission,” it tells of the risen Christ sending the disciples forth to all the nations. Today’s reading offers three significant messages: • The doctrine of the Trinity is “par excellence” a theology of relationships: God is with us, we are with God, and in God we are all one. • Discipleship involves mission. This mission continues that of Jesus by proclaiming to all the love of God and inviting them to become one in the “family” of the baptized. • We are consoled with a living promise, “I am with you always...” For our shared or personal reflection: After a brief pause for silent reflection share your answers, ideas or feelings. 1. In this reading, the disciples worshiped, and they also doubted, but Jesus sent them forth anyway. How do I handle the tension between my faith and my doubts? 2. God loves me so much that he became one with me. How am I responding to that gift? Suggested readings : Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 2; 219-221; 232-237; 458; 644- 645; 691-692; 727-730; 767; 788; 849; 1122; 1223; 2156. .
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