Fr. Brian Zumbrum’s homilies and reflections are posted weekly at Leaven in the World. To see the archive of all his posts, just click here: Salesian Sermons

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity | May 30/31, 2015

PROTIP: Before reading on, be sure to take a look at the readings here. This homily is based on the first and Gospel readings.

Yesterday, I spent the day with my family and friends in Harrisburg, celebrating my 30th birthday.

When I walked into the house, my mother had plastered dozens of pictures on the wall, marking various moment throughout my life.

There were baby pictures and Halloween costumes.  There were graduation pictures and scout pictures.  There were photos from my ordination and photos from school plays.

It was as if I had stepped into a slideshow of my life.

As I gazed at the pictures, I began to recall the history behind each moment captured in film.

I remembered the personal triumphs and the humiliating defeats.

I remembered the awkwardness and the self-confidence, the failures and the successes, the true friends and the false ones.

I remembered the mistakes made, the people I hurt, the lessons I learned, the ones that broke my heart.

I remembered those moments in which God seemed so distant and those moments when God seemed so present.

I remembered my doubts and my fears.  I remembered my convictions and the trust that I placed in people.  I remembered my moments of optimism, my moments of cynicism, and all of the moments in between.

I remembered all of those people who had become a part of my journey . . . my family, my friends, my community.

And in so doing, I watched my story unfold before me.  30 wonderful years condensed into a myriad of snapshots.

Now I must admit, in my self-reflection, I felt like I got a glimpse into the author of our 1st reading from today.

For in his writing, he too was reminding the Israelites of their story.

He was reminding them of their failures and their triumphs.  He was recalling the struggles, the dark nights, the miraculous opportunities.  He was reminding them of their sins and brokenness.  He was recounting the gifts that had been showered upon them.

But at the core of all of the reminiscing was a rather simple goal . . . to remind the Israelites of a truth that was easy to doubt in their current circumstances.

In the midst of exile, humiliation, and foreign occupation, the author of the Book of Deuteronomy wanted each of his hearers to walk away with this truth.

That they truly were chosen.

That they truly were beloved daughters and sons.

That the God of their ancestors was still their God.

That God was still with them on the journey.

No matter how dark the night became or how hopeless the situation seemed, God was there.

No matter how hard it was to see God at work, God was there.

No matter how far they strayed or how often they broke the covenant, God was there.

A truth that has never changed in the thousands of years since this passage was written.

A truth that is at the heart of the feast that we celebrate today on the Feast of the Holy Trinity.

The truth that God has loved us enough to join with us in our humanity.

To walk the roads we walk.

To share the laughs we share.

To shed the tears we shed.

To face the fears we face.

The truth that God has loved us enough to send the Spirit to be always with us.

Challenging us and enlightening us

Freeing us and empowering us

Comforting us and strengthening us.

My friends, today’s feast is God’s promise to each of us.

That no matter where we are in our journey.  No matter where we have been.  No matter where we are going.

God is with us.

That no matter what we have done.  No matter what has been done to us.

God is with us.

That no matter what.  God is with us.

Thanks be to God.

May God be Praised.