The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 2025

Personally, if I'm at a crowded public event, like a football game, or even the Queen of Heaven carnival, I feel a lot safer when there are police around. When I see police in uniform, I feel a sense of security because if, God forbid, something goes wrong, I know there’s somebody who’s going to take charge and protect.


And, I think that's what we want in a father. I think, not only traditionally, but ideally, we want a father who is going to stand up for us, protect us, and give us a sense of security and safety.


And that's what Saint Paul says Jesus provides because of who Jesus is and what He did. In the second reading, Saint Paul writes to the Romans, quote, “[S]ince we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” Again: We have peace, or security, or safety with God because of Jesus…


What does Paul mean that we are “justified” by faith in Jesus? Well, to be justified means that we are made right or innocent; it means that we are not guilty anymore; or, at least, the sins we are guilty of, we are no longer condemned by them, because Jesus took the punishment for us. Therefore, when we stand before God, we stand in security; safety; peace because of Jesus.


And, I think, a lot of life is searching for security; or wanting to feel peace. And, I think that's what we hope the Church provides us…and it does; it does in the most authentic way, because the peace or security we receive from being a practicing member of the Catholic Church is based in truth, not something that we hope is true or that we’ve made up; nor is it affected by popular opinion nor by the pressures of society. We stand firmly in security and in peace of mind because we stand in the truth. And His name is Jesus. And if we profess, and believe, and try to live by the truth, we, as Saint Paul says, are justified; we are made right in the sight of God through our faith in Jesus.


… I've been reading the autobiography of Saint Margaret Mary, the Saint who received the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And, in her autobiography, Saint Margaret Mary complained to Jesus that she did not have the ability to follow Him as closely as Jesus was demanding. So, Jesus responded, "Can a child, loved as much as I love [you] perish?” In other words, Jesus was telling her, “Even if you fail miserably; even if you fail a billion times, I love you so much, how could I ever let you go to Hell if you’re trying to follow me?”…Imagine the sense of peace and security she felt after hearing those words.


On this Father’s Day weekend, as we celebrate God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, let us realize that God is the best Father we could ever ask for.



Scripture readings for this day: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061525.cfm

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