The first reading of today comes from the book of Sirach also known as Ecclesiasticus. The book is intended for those who wish to gain wisdom and instruction for life. He discusses issues like repentance, humility, family life, societal relationship, prudence and the meaning of life and death. He does not talk on what happens after life.

First Reading Isaiah 66:18-21, Second Reading Hebrew 12:5-7, 11-13, Gospel Luke 13:22-30

The three readings of today are connected in a very special way. In the first reading the Prophet Isaiah says “thus says the Lord, I come to gather nations of every language and they will come to see my glory.” This means everyone is called to see the glory of God. We all are called to see God’s glory.

The episode of today’s first reading took place many years ago about 600 years before Christ in Babylonia which is today’s Iraq. King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar was conquering all the nations that surrounded Babylon. As the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem, Jeremiah, one of the greatest Prophets of the time, told the Jewish people that it was useless for them to defend themselves as Nebuchadnezzar would destroy Jerusalem. It is better they surrender themselves in peace or face total destruction. Thus, instead of listening to Jeremiah they got angry and wanted him killed. Because of the resistance of the Jews, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and that led to the Babylonian Exile.

Today’s readings call for deep faith and trust in God. The first reading presents us with the courageous faith of the people of Israel in awaiting their deliverance from Egypt, and it came to fulfillment. At the same time, it tells us that true wisdom comes with giving priority to a right relationship with God. In the first reading we learn that when we wait on God with trust, He answers our prayers.

The author of the first reading from the book of Ecclesiastes says “Vanity of Vanities, says the preacher, All is vanity”. The author known as Qoheleth or a preacher, expounds the futility of excessive attachment to the passing things of this world. The author was engaged for many years in a philosophical exercise for the search of the meaning of life, but surprisingly reaches a conclusion of vanity of all human toils, which is said to have depressed him a little.

In the First Reading from the book of Genesis we are presented with the Mysterious visitors who announced that Sarah would bear a child. These visitors prefigure the annunciation made by the archangel Gabriel to Mary. It also shows us that God is always with us, and there are times when God’s presence becomes tangible. Sometimes God’s visits come in the form of a good idea or with a strong awareness that we are not alone.

The story of Abraham in today’s first reading tells how Abraham, trusting in God’s mercy, pleaded for the people of Sodom, a sinful city that God had wanted to destroy. Abraham recognized that justice called for destruction but argued that Sodom should be spared if a few righteous citizens could be found. What is seen in this passage is the possibility of the righteous to intercede with God and influence the divine will. God in His mercy and love gave ears to Abraham’s plea that if a few good people could be found He will spare the city. It presents us with a relationship with a God who is able to give ear to the prayers of those who have good relationship with Him.

In the first reading of today we see Moses telling the people if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law you will have life. He goes further to say that “But the word is very near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” It means that the word of God is with us here and now and it is by keeping this word of God that our life becomes meaningful. The word of God is alive and active and the Word of God is Jesus Himself. Our life is sustained by the word of God and if we keep to the word of God we become happy and live well.

The First Reading of today is taken from the Prophet Isaiah 66:10-14, among biblical scholars it is called the Third Isaiah. Some scholars claim that this part of Isaiah was not written by the original Isaiah, but maybe a disciple of Isaiah. It comes mainly from the period following the return of the people from the Babylonian exile. It was the work of the Deutero Isaiah and was written to instill faith among the people. The people had lost complete hope as a result of the deportation to Babylon, but their greatest heart-breaking experience was the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem. In this passage, they were back to Israel and life was no longer the same. They became discouraged, heartbroken and depressed.

In the first reading of today we see a drama between Elijah and Elisha. First as we heard, “the Lord said to Elijah you shall anoint Elisha as a prophet to succeed you.” Which means God has already chosen Elisha to be a prophet after Elijah. God has appointed Elisha as a successor to Elijah, but he could still throw the chance away if he does not make a good decision for himself. Elijah went out and found Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen and he threw his cloak over him. Immediately, Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah and told him he wanted to go and kiss his father and mother goodbye, but Elijah asked him “did I do anything to you?” Elisha left him, and taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them and gave it to the people to eat. In this passage God appoints, but He still gives the individual the freedom to choose or to reject His call and this is based on the decision the person makes.

The feast of the Body and Blood of Christ according to Living Liturgy “is God’s hospitality in the gift of Jesus, shared with the world in His personal fullness, in His body and blood”. The feast is a declaration of the Catholic faith of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist which is a core belief of the church from the earliest time till date. It is a belief that most modern Christians including many Catholics have some form of doubt about the teaching but it is a belief that makes us different from the other churches. The church teaches that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian worship. It teaches that Christ is real present whole and entire in a unique manner in the form of bread and wine after the words of consecration by the priest.

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The Solemnity simply means that there are three persons in One God. That is to say, God is One and Three at the same time. It is a mystery and that is why it is called the mystery of the Trinity. A mystery does not mean something we cannot understand or does not have any clue about it, but something we cannot fully grasp completely with our own limited head. Mystery is part of our religion and in fact every authentic religion has elements of mystery in it.

Today, 50 days after Easter Sunday, the Church celebrates the great feast of Pentecost. The day the Apostles received power from above and were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is on this day that the church came into existence. Before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, they were all in one room for fear of the Jews, not knowing what would befall them and thus they could not go out. However, with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them, they were empowered and they went out with courage and started proclaiming the great news of salvation. That is why my dear friends that the Holy Spirit is the wonder worker. When we become aware of His power in us, we are empowered to work wonders.