Sunday, June 16, 2019, was Father’s Day, and I tip my hat to Dad, wherever you are in the universe. But, more important than Father’s Day, was the fact that this was the celebration of the Holy Trinity. And, I wanted to hear and learn more about it. So, I drove more than an hour to get to the Latin Mass, in Ocala, Florida, to witness it for the first time in 55 years.
Since this Mass was celebrated in Latin, and the priest’s back was mostly turned to us, I couldn’t understand what he was praying. However, when he came to the pulpit he spoke to us. And, I could hear him. His sermon was simple. It was powerful, and grace-filled. I could see and hear the power of the Holy Spirit in his words. In fact, I was so enamored by his thoughts and speech that I forgot to turn on my recorder until he was halfway through.
Here is basically what he said at the beginning…
The priest began his sermon with an eloquent explanation of the five months, on the liturgical calendar, that led up to and included the feast of the Holy Trinity. He talked about the seasons of Lent and Easter, and how they officially ended on Pentecost Sunday. And, he explained how these past five months have been devoted to the time of our fasting and almsgiving (Lent) in preparation for the resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday; the days after Easter to prepare for the Ascension; and the week after that, which was in preparation for, and culminated on Pentecost Sunday. Then, he explained how the Octave of the Pentecost, which ended on the Solemnity of The Holy Trinity, was in preparation for this feast day. And, it was all simplified for me, in one easy lesson.
The priest went onto speak about how the Feast of the Holy Trinity is in some way tied to every feast day of the year. He compared the feast to the sign of the cross, and to prayer, and to the indwelling of the three persons in God. “If we condensed the one feast day into one sign,” he said, “it would be the sign of the cross.”
About this time in the sermon, I managed to grab my phone and begin the recording, which by the way, lasted for another 18 minutes. Interestingly, the priest managed to slip in a bit about St. Bernadette, who happens to be my patron saint. She was illiterate and didn’t even know how to make the sign of the cross, so the Blessed Mother taught her how, during the first visitation. The priest reminded me that St. Bernadette once said, “It’s important to make it well.”
Here’s a recording. I promise you’ll feel blessed.
This 18-minute audio will inspire you to live more fruitfully…