Greetings The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of the Fatherand the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
R/ And also with you. Introduction by the Celebrant
A. Experience God with the Heart
At this celebration of the Blessed Trinity, perhaps we ask ourselves how we can understand this one God with three faces, the Trinity. Our human mind is too small to grasp this mystery. But the Bible, already in the Old Testament, shows us that wisdom is not mere knowledge but the art of life, understanding with the heart as we reflect on our experience. And that experience tells us: God is love, and comes to us in many ways, with fatherly and motherly concern and care, with forgiveness and life brought us by Jesus, with courage and joy, hope and light poured out on us by the Holy Spirit. May we grow in this experience in this Eucharist.
B. Our Relationship with God Theologians try to deepen our understanding of God. That is their task, and God blesses them for it. Our concern is probably much more what God means for our Christian living. What, or better, who is God for me? What is my relationship to God? We are constantly told that God loves us and that he forgives us. How do I recognize this love? How do I respond to it? How does it affect my relations with people? Let God enlighten us on this feast of the Trinity and bring us closer to him.
Penitential Act God generously shares his life with us.
How have we responded to his offer?
Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you have made known to us
a Father who loves us more tenderly than a mother,
who never withdraws his mercy and trust.
All praise through you to the Father!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you became one of us
to seek out what was lost
and you gave up your life for us:
All praise to you for your kindness!
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you pour out on us
the inventive, creative, refreshing Spirit.
All praise to you for the Spirit!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us our sins and accept our thanks
for all the goodness you let us experience.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let the Holy Spirit pray in our hearts
to our living and loving God
(PAUSE)
Our One God,
you wanted to be a communion of three persons
so that you could share your one love;
you made yourself one of us in Jesus, your Son,
so that you could draw us into that love.
Give us the grace to respond to your goodness
through the Spirit poured out into our hearts.
Fill us with joy and wonder for you
and inspire us to love our brothers and sisters,
to share with them and to be one with them,
because you have loved us first
in Christ Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: God's Creative Wisdom
In the Old Testament, God lets his word of wisdom speak as a person who carries out God's plan. God's living word becomes human in Jesus Christ: he will help people to live according to God's wise plan.
Second Reading Introduction: The Blessed Trinity In The Life Of Christians
Jesus, God's wisdom, has brought us into the Father's world of forgiveness and grace. The Holy Spirit of love gives us the power to love. Our Christian life is thus rooted in the Blessed Trinity.
Gospel Introduction: The Spirit Will Reveal To Us The Father And The Son
The Holy Spirit brings us the full, living truth about God; that is, the Spirit helps us to live in the love of the Father and to follow Jesus.
General Intercessions
Filled with the love of our Father, let the Holy Spirit cry out in our hearts and say: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father of all love, put in our hearts the will to seek unity and peace for all. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father of all humanity, keep alive and strengthen in every believer the hope to be near to you as you are close to us. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Our creative and saving Father, unite all Christians in the unity of one faith and of one way of life in Jesus your Son. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father, friend of people, lift up those in distress and pain; give them courage and a hope that does not delude them. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father whose children we are, let all Christian communities bear witness to your faithful care, your freedom, your justice and your joy. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
Loving Father, hear our prayer, for it expresses our communion with you and with our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father,
accept these gifts of bread and wine
and through your Holy Spirit change them
into your creative word among us,
your Son Jesus Christ.
Let our eating and drinking
of his body and blood
strengthen us in the covenant of love
with you and with our brothers and sisters,
that we may reflect your eternal love
until we live in full communion with you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
our God for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
With and through Jesus we offer to the Father in heaven this eucharist made holy by the Spirit. We now express our joy and gratitude.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
Through the Holy Spirit of love
poured out into our hearts,
let us pray to God our Father
the prayer of Jesus our Lord: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and give to our times
the peace promised by your Son.
Show yourself our generous Father
and forgive us all our sins.
Guide us by the strength of your Spirit
to grow as a community of love
and to prepare in patient, joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom..
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus our Lord,
who has reconciled us with the Father
and who guides us by his Spirit of love.
Happy are we to be invited
to become one with him
and to share his life as God's sons and daughters.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God, our Father,
our whole life is placed under the sign
of you and your Son and your Holy Spirit.
Thank you for committing yourself to us.
Help us to commit ourselves
to our brothers and sisters in need
and to be among them
your sign of unity, love and hope,
that we may truly live
in the name of you, Father,
of Jesus, your Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Let us go home in joy
with the blessing of the Father who loves us,
of the Son who brought us forgiveness and life,
and of the Spirit who lives in our hearts. R/ Amen.
Let the whole of our lives give praise to God.
R. Thanks be to God.
