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The Most Holy Trinity supported by the Thrones In the second part of the year, the six months from Trinity to Advent, the Holy Ghost whose reign begins at Pentecost, comes to repeat to us what our Lord Himself has taught us in the first part, the six months from Advent to Trinity Sunday. The fundamental truth on which everything in the Christian religion rests, is the dogma of the Holy Trinity from whom all comes (Epistle), and to whom all baptized in His name must return (Gospel). In the course of the cycle, having called to our minds in order, God the Father, Author of creation, God the Son, Author of redemption and God the Holy Ghost, Author of our sanctification, the Church today, before all else, recapitulates the great mystery by which we acknowledge and adore the Unity of Nature and Trinity of Persons in almighty God (Collect). “As soon as we have celebrated the coming of the Holy Ghost,” says Abbot Rupert, in the twelfth century, “we hail in song the feast of the Holy Trinity, the following Sunday, a place in the calendar well chosen, for immediately after the descent of the Holy Spirit, preaching and conversion began and faith through baptism and confession in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” The dogma of the Holy Trinity is affirmed, in the liturgy, on every hand. It is in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that we begin and end the Mass and Divine Office, and that we confer the Sacraments. All the Psalms end with the Gloria, the Hymns with the Doxology, and the Prayers by a conclusion in honour of the three Divine Persons. Twice during the Mass we are reminded that it is to the Holy Trinity that the Mass is being offered. The dogma of the Trinity is expressed in the very fabric of our churches. Our fathers delighted to find a symbol of it in the admirably proportioned height, breadth and length of these buildings, in their primary and secondary divisions; the sanctuary, the choir and nave; the ground-floor, the triforium and the clerestory; the three entrances, three doors, three bays, three gables, and often three towers. On every hand, even to the smallest detail of decoration, the number three, repeated frequently, denotes a well conceived plan and a profound faith in the Blessed Trinity. The same thought is expressed in Christian iconography, in various ways. Up to the twelfth century, God the Father is represented by a hand, emerging from the clouds in blessing and often surrounded by a nimbus containing a cross. By this hand is symbolized divine Omnipotence. In thirteenth and fourteenth century work one sees the face and then the figure of the Father. From the fifteenth century the Father is represented as an old man in the garb of a pontiff. Up to the twelfth century, God the Son was at first represented by a cross, by a lamb or again by a gracious youth, in the same way that Apollo was represented in the pagan world. From the eleventh to the sixteenth century Christ appears bearded and in the prime of life. From the thirteenth century He is seen carrying the cross and often He is depicted as the Lamb. The Holy Ghost was, at first, represented under the form of a dove, whose outspread wings often touch the mouths of both Father and Son to show that He proceeds from both. For the same reason, from the eleventh century He is depicted as a little child. In the thirteenth century He is a youth, in the fifteenth He is a man of ripe age, like the Father and the Son but with a dove above His head or in His hand to distinguish Him from the other two Persons. Since the sixteenth century the dove and the fiery tongues are the only representations of the Holy Ghost. Quite recently it was expressly forbidden to represent Him under a human form. Since 1628 was also forbidden the monstrous picture of three faces on one body. As a symbol of the Trinity the triangle has been borrowed from geometry, depicting by its form the divine Unity in which are inscribed three angles, expressing the three Persons in God. Trefoil plants, as shamrock and clover serve to represent this great mystery, as also do three circles interwoven, with the word Unity inscribed in the central space belonging to all three. A miniature of the XVIth cent. represents the Father and Son as like each other, with the same nimbus, the same triple crown, the hair worn in the same way and a single cloak drawing them close together. Further, they are united by the same book of divine Wisdom as well as by the Holy Ghost who joins one to the other by the ends of His wings. But the Father is older than the Son, and the beard of the one is pointed while that of the other is round. The Father wears a robe without a girdle and carries the globe of the earth in his hand, while the Son as a Priest, wears an alb with cincture and stole. The feast of the Holy Trinity owes its origin to the fact that the ordinations of the Ember Saturday, which took place in the evening, were prolonged to the next day, which was Sunday and which had no proper liturgy. As this day is consecrated throughout the year to the Most Holy Trinity, the votive Mass composed in the seventh century to celebrate this mystery was said on the First Sunday after Pentecost; and since it occupied a fixed place in the liturgical calendar, this Mass was considered as establishing this Sunday as a special feast of the Blessed Trinity. Stephen, Bishop of Liége, who was born about 850, composed in the tenth century its office which was revised later on by the Franciscans. The feast was in 1334 extended to the universal Church by Pope John XXII and made a Double of the first class by Pius X. That we may ever be armed against all adversity, let us today, with the liturgy, make our solemn profession of faith in the Holy and Eternal Trinity and His indivisible Unity. |
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Introit |
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| Almighty God, in making known to us that His one divine Nature is possessed by three distinct Persons reveals to us something of His own interior life. Thus the Son possesses this life because the Father gives it to Him by an act of knowledge which proceeds from the divine Intelligence and the Holy Spirit, because it is communicated to Him by the Father and the Son, by an act of love having its origin in their Will. And the divine mercy shines forth in the fact that we are called to share this happiness, which is proper to God alone, by knowing and loving Him as He knows and loves Himself. | |
| Benedícta sit sancta Trínitas, atque indivísa únitas: confitébimur ei, quia fecit nobíscum misericórdiam suam. Ps. viii. 2. Dómine Dóminus noster, quam admirábile est nomen tuum in univérsa terra! v. Glória Patri. | Blessed be the Holy Trinity, and undivided unity: we will give glory to Him; because He hath shown His mercy to us. Ps. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy name in all the earth! v. Glory be to the Father. |
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Collect |
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| Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui dedísti fámulis tuis in confessióne verae fídei, aetérnae Trinitátis glóriam agnóscere, et in poténtia majestátis adoráre unitátem: quaésumus; ut ejúsdem fídei firmitáte, ab ómnibus semper muniámur advérsis. Per Dóminum. | Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given to Thy servants grace, in the confession of the true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of Thy majesty to worship the Unity; grant that by steadfastness in the same faith we may evermore be defended from all adversities. Through our Lord. |
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Commemoration of the 1st Sunday after Pentecost |
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| Deus, in te sperántium fortitúdo, adésto propítius invocatiónibus nostris: et quia sine te nihil potest mortális infírmitas, praesta auxílium grátiae tuae: ut in exsequéndis mandátis tuis, et voluntáte tibi et actióne placeámus. Per Dóminum. | O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in Thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do nothing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in fulfilling Thy commandments, we may please Thee both in will and deed. Through our Lord. |
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3rd Collect |
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| Deus, qui beatam Julianam Virginem tuam extreme morbo laborantem, pretioso Filii tui corpore mirabiliter recreare dignatus es: concede, quaesumus; ut, ejus intercedentibus meritis, nos quoque eodem in mortis agone refecti ac roborati, ad caelestem patriam perducamur. Per eumdem Dominum. | O God, who didst wonderfully refresh blessed Juliana, Thy virgin, whilst sick unto death, with the precious Body of Thy Son; we beseech Thee, through her merits, that when our last hour shall have come, we may likewise be comforted and strengthened, and be safely guided by Thee into our heavenly abode. Through… |
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4th Collect |
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| Deus, qui nos annua sanctorum Martyrum tuorum Gervase et Protase solemnitate laetificas: concede propitius; ut, quorum gaudemus meritis, accendamur exemplis. Per Dominum. | O God, who dost gladden us by the annual solemnity of Thy holy Martyrs Gervase and Protase, mercifully grant that whe who rejoice in their merits, may be inspired by their examples. Through our Lord. |
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Epistle |
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| In psalms and hymns the same praise is addressed to Father, Son and Holy Ghost; blessings, ceremonies of worship, and sacraments are followed by a prayer to the Holy Trinity. These practices were long ago urged upon us by the apostle who asserts that “all things are of Him, by Him and in Him. These words, Pope Leo XIII tells us, on the one hand imply the Trinity of Persons and on the other affirm the unity of nature. | |
| Léctio Epístolae beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Romános. O altitúdo divitiárum sapiéntiae et sciéntiae Dei: quam incomprehensibília sunt judícia ejus, et investigábiles viae ejus! Quis enim cognóvit sensum Dómini? Aut quis consiliárius ejus fuit? Aut quis prior dedit illi, et retribuétur ei? Quóniam ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt ómnia: ipsi glória in saécula. | Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Romans. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable His ways! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be made him? For of Him, and by Him, and in Him, are all things: to Him be glory for ever. Amen. |
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Gradual |
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| Benedíctus es, Dómine, qui intuéris abyssos, et sedes super Chérubim. v. Benedíctus es, Dómine, in firmaménto caeli, et laudábilis in saécula. Allelúia. Allelúia, allelúia. v. Dan. iii. 52. Benedíctus es, Dómine, Deus patrum nostrórum: et laudábilis in saécula. Allelúia. | Blessed art Thou, O Lord, that beholdest the depths and sittest upon the Cherubim. v. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven, and worthy of praise for ever. Alleluia, alleluia. v. Blessed art Thou, O Lord the God of our fathers, and worthy to be praised for ever. Alleluia. |
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Gospel |
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| “What Catholic does not know,” exclaims St. Gregory of Nazianzen, “that the Father is truly Father, the Son truly Son and the Holy Ghost truly Holy Ghost?” The Lord Himself told His apostles: “Going therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” There we have that perfect Trinity of Persons in the Unity of a single divine substance (God), in whose name we make our profession of faith. | |
| Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthaéum. In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis suis: Data est mihi omnis potéstas in caelo et in terra. Eúntes ergo docéte omnes gentes, baptizántes eos in nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti: docéntes eos serváre ómnia quaecúmque mandávi vobis. Et ecce ego vobíscum sum ómnibus diébus, usque ad consummatiónem saéculi. | Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. At that time Jesus said to His disciples: All power is given to Me in heaven and on earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. |
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Offertory |
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| Benedíctus sit Deus Pater, unigenitúsque Dei Fílius, Sanctus quoque Spíritus: quia fecit nobíscum misericórdiam suam. | Blessed be God the Father, and the only-begotten Son of God, and also the Holy Spirit; because He hath shown His mercy to us. |
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Secret |
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| Sanctífica, quaésumus, Dómine Deus noster, per tui sancti nóminis invocatiónem, hujus oblatiónis hóstiam: et per eam nosmetípsos tibi pérfice munus aetérnum. Per Dóminum. | Sanctify, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, by the invocation of Thy holy name, the victim of this oblation, and by its means make us an eternal oblation to Thee. Through our Lord. |
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Commemoration of 1st Sunday after Pentecost |
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| Hóstias nostras, quaésumus, Dómine, tibi dicátas placátus assúme: et ad perpétuum nobis tríbue proveníre subsídium. Per Dóminum. | We beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously receive our offerings devoted to Thee, and grant that they may ever be a source of help to us. Through our Lord. |
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Preface for the Most Holy Trinity |
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| Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutáre, nos tibi semper, et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, aetérne Deus: Qui cum unigénito Fílio tuo, et Spíritu Sancto, unus es Deus, unus es Dóminus: non in uníus singularitáte persónae, sed in uníus Trinitáte substántiae. Quod enim de tua glória, revelánte te, crédimus, hoc de Fílio tuo, hoc de Spíritu Sancto, sine differéntia discretiónis sentímus. Ut in confessióne verae sempiternaéque Deitátis, et in persónis propríetas, et in esséntia únitas, et in majestáte adorétur aequálitas. Quam laudant Angeli atque Archángeli, Chérubim quoque ac Séraphim: qui non cessant clamáre quotídie, una voce dicéntes: | It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty and everlasting God. Who with Thine only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost art one God, one Lord; not in the oneness of a single person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For that which we believe from Thy revelation concerning Thy glory, that same we believe also of Thy Son, and of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, we shall adore distinction in persons, oneness in being, and equality in majesty. Which the angels and archangels, the cherubim also and the seraphim do praise nor cease to cry out as with one voice: |
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Communion |
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| Benedícimus Deum caeli, et coram ómnibus vivéntibus confitébimur ei: quia fecit nobíscum misericórdiam suam. | We bless the God of heaven, and before all living we will praise Him; because He has shown His mercy to us. |
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Postcommunion |
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| Profíciat nobis ad salútem córporis et ánimae, Dómine Deus noster, hujus sacraménti suscéptio: et sempitérnae sanctae Trinitátis, ejusdémque indivíduae unitátis conféssio. Per Dóminum. | May the reception of this sacrament, O Lord our God, and the confession of the holy and eternal Trinity and of its undivided unity, profit us to the salvation of body and soul. Through our Lord. |
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Commemoration of the 1st Sunday after Pentecost |
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| Tantis, Dómine, repléti munéribus: praesta, quaésumus; ut et salutária dona capiámus, et a tua numquam laude cessémus. Per Dóminum.. | Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we who have been replenished with so great gifts, may both receive their saving benefits and may never cease from Thy praise. Through our Lord. |
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Last Gospel |
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| In illo témpore, dixit Jesus discipulis suis: “Estóte miseri-córdes, sicut et Pater vester miséricors est. Nolíte judicére, et non judicabímini: nollte condemnére, et non condemn-abimini. Dimíttite et dimittémini. Date, et débitur vobis: mensúram bonam, et confértam, et coagitétam, et supereffluéntem dabunt in sinum ve strum. Eédem quippe mensúra, qua mensi fuéritis, remetiétur vobis. Dicébat autem ills t similitúdinem: Numquid potest carcus cmcum dúcere? nonne ambo in fóveam cadunt? Non est discipulis super magistrum: perféctus autem omnis erit, si sit sicut magister ejus. Quid autem vides festúcam in óculo fratris tui, trabem autem, qual in óculo tuo est, non consíderas? Aut quómodo potes dícere fratti tuo: Frater, sine, ejíciam festúcam de óculo tuo: ipse in óculo tuo trabem non videns? Hypócrita, éjice primum trabem de óculo tuo: et tunc persplces ut edúcas festúcam de óculo fratris tui.” | At that time Jesus said to His disciples: “Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shalt not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. And He spoke also to them a similtude: can the blind lead the blind? do they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one shall be perfect if he be as his master. and why seest thou the mote in thy brothers eye: but the beam that is in thine own eye thou considerest not? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye: and then thou shalt see clearly to pull out the mote from thy brothers eye.” |