GIVE GLORY TO THE HOLY TRINITY (BUILD A ClVlLlZATlON OF LOVE) Fr. Jim Whalen 1997, Issue 4

 GIVE GLORY TO THE HOLY TRINITY

(BUILD  A ClVlLlZATlON OF LOVE)

 

Fr. Jim Whalen

1997, Issue 4

Give Glory to the Holy Trinity. Pope John Paul II has declared that this is the aim of the great Jubilee 2000: “This mystery is the focus of the three years of immediate preparation from Christ and through Christ, in the Holy Spirit to the Father.” (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994, P.65)

 He called our attention to the fact that we are living in a time of a great crisis of truth evident in a crisis of concepts. “Only if the truth about freedom and the communion of persons in marriage and in the family can regain its splendor. Will the building of the civilization of love truly begin and will it then be possible to speak concretely as the council did about promoting the dignity of marriage and the family.” (Letter to Families, P.43)

 He points out that the Jubilee offers us the opportunity to reflect on various challenges of our time, such as meeting the challenge of secularism, which he identifies as the crisis of civilization: “which in the west is highly developed from the standpoint of technology but is interiorly impoverished by its tendency to forget God or to keep Him at a distance. The crisis of civilization must be countered by the civilization of love, founded on the universal values of peace, solidarity, justice and liberty, which find their full attainment in Christ”. (Tertio Millennio Advenente, 1994, p.63) He asks us to examine ourselves in regard to the widespread loss of the transcendent sense of human life, and confusion in the ethical sphere, even about the fundamental values of respect for life and the family.

 The Holy Father is definitive in highlighting Christ’s living and saving presence in the Church, as the source of divine life, by choosing to center the year 2000 around an International Eucharistic Congress in Rome.  It is in celebrating Mass, as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the family of families, the Church, that we participate most fully in god’s life, the Holy Trinity. We are called to a renewed appreciation of the Holy Trinity Family’s activities in our life. It was in a human family, the Family of Nazareth, that God chose to enter into human history. It is in the Eucharist that God chose to remain present with His human family. It is in the sacrament we see the activity of the Holy Trinity Family, and live our spiritual life.

Our New Year, 1998, is dedicated to the Holy Spirit, with a renewed appreciation of the eschatological perspective as evident in a basic attitude of hope which “encourages the Christian not to lose sight of the final goal which gives meaning and value to life.” (Tertio Millennio Advenente, 1994, p.58)

 One concrete way we can give glory to the Trinity is to get our priorities, our value system, in line with our Holy Father. He has made it very clear that promoting, protecting and respecting life at all stages, from conception to natural death, is ‘The definitive issue of our time’.  His primary solution is not new but is the most effective means we have:  ‘The Holy Eucharist’. Some parishes have zeroed in on this fact and celebrate a monthly pro-life mass, with fasting and a public rosary as well. Pro-life groups in Ottawa at this time are planning a campaign to encourage this endeavour to end abortion and related evils. We met in 1997 at a gathering sponsored by Priests for Life Canada where the National Director (Fr. Jim) spoke on the power and importance of prayer, fasting and the Holy Eucharist. Among other ideas proposed by participants was the suggestion of a perpetual celebration of pro-life Masses to be accompanied by fasting and a public rosary. (Chuck Fink, St. Mary’s Parish and Deborah La Riccia, Pro-Life Sunday Coordinator, both of Ottawa ) Each day of the month a different parish would celebrate a pro-life Mass which would include fasting and a public rosary. Present at this gathering were representatives of Action Life, Human Life International, Legion of Mary, Pro-Life Sunday Committee, Catholic Woman’s League, Parish pro-life committees and Priests for Life. Archbishop Marcel Gervais was approached about this idea which he approved for the Archdiocese of Ottawa, suggesting a grass roots beginning. It remains to set the wheels in motion through mutual cooperation and planning. Perhaps this idea could be considered by other dioceses or parishes as well, as a preparation for the Jubilee 2000.

 Archbishop Jean Claude Cardinal Turcotte, President of the CCCB, reflects a constant message of our Holy Father, especially applicable to pro-lifers by challenging us, asking us whether our season's greetings “Truly echo the angels’ message to the shepherds the night of the nativity: Be not afraid, behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will come to all the people, to you is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord.” (Christmas message, 1997)

 How blessed we are to live at this time to meet the challenge to build a civilization of love and a culture of life. This will indeed “Give Glory to the Holy Trinity.”  ¤