The Most Adorable Trinity! "All things" good in nature or grace flow from and return to the Trinity; "from Him," God the Father, our Creator; "by Him," God the Son, our Redeemer; "in Him," God the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier (Epistle).

At our Baptism the entire Trinity took possession of our entire being (Gospel); hence our lifelong necessity of practical true faith in the presence of the Trinity in our souls, as our defense against "all misfortunes" (Prayer); the necessity of being ever conscious in our prayers that we are the adopted "sons of the Father," " co-heirs with Christ," and "temples of the Holy Ghost"; the necessity of shunning mortal sin, which automatically exiles the Trinity from our souls. The offering of the Mass to the Trinity (Introit, Offertory)
makes the offering of our lives (Secret, Communion) acceptable and pleasing. This offering of the Mass and of ourselves brings Divine help to body and soul (Postcommunion).

On this feast we should renew our Baptismal vows: "I renew my Baptismal vows. I renounce Satan and all his works and all his pomps. I take Jesus Christ for my Model and my Guide, and I promise to be faithful
to Him unto the end of my life. (Pater, Ave, Gloria).

Under the newer rubrics, I Sunday After Pentecost is not commemorated in the Mass leading to the sad result that the faithful, who largely don’t attend daily Mass, never hear the wonderful readings of that Mass. Many priests, however, commemorate the I Sunday After Pentecost and add a proper Last Gospel.

If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

To truly love God we must keep His word, that is we must believe what He teaches and commands. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Heb. 11: 6) If without faith it is impossible to please God, it is evident that without faith we cannot love Him. God is pleased only with those who love Him. Christ Himself says: "He that believeth not, shall be condemned." (Mark 16:16) As no one who truly loves God will be condemned, it is evident that where there is no faith there is no love. Faith is the root and beginning of all Christian justice; without faith no one is purified from his sins and sanctified. We therefore in vain seek justice with unbelievers, since without the love of God there is no justice. From this it follows that all those unbelievers and heretics who, through their own fault, have not the Catholic faith, do not and cannot possess the love of God. From this we perceive what we are to think of those who say that "it matters not what a man's faith is; all religions are alike; they are only different roads that lead to the same place; let a man only act rightly, and he can throw all creeds overboard; whether Jew, Pagan, Protestant or Catholic, it makes no difference." Such indifference is in direct opposition to the doctrine of Christ, and leads straight to perdition.

Moreover, we must keep the commandments of God. This is in the nature of love. If we truly love any one, we try to please him and take care not to offend him; we love to do his will; his wishes are to us commands. If, therefore, we have true love of God, we shall always strive to act conformably to His holy will, and conscientiously observe all His commandments. Hence Christ emphatically says: "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me." (John 14:21) And St. John says: "This is the charity of God, that we keep His commandments." (I John 5:3) He therefore who violates a commandment of God in an important matter, or, what amounts to the same thing, commits mortal sin, such as cursing, blasphemy, fornication, adultery, or lives in enmity with his neighbour, tells God a lie whenever he says: "My God, I love thee." And how many are there who tell such a lie every time they make an act of love!
Christ assures us that His Father loves those that love Him, and that He, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, will come to them and make His abode with them. Is there anything more desirable than to be loved by God? What happiness to be able to say: "God loves me!" This love is infinitely more valuable than all the love and friendship of men, for when God loves us He treats us as His children, enriches us with His graces, and makes us heirs of heaven. Even more, if we love God we become His holy temples. The triune God comes to us and makes His permanent abode in our hearts, as the Apostle says; "Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Cor. 3:16) How honoured would a poor man feel if his king should come and dwell in his hut! What an honour and a grace for us that the triune God comes and dwells in us! And who enlightens, encourages and strengthens us in all good, purifies and sanctifies us more and more, and imparts to us with the greatest liberality all that we need for obtaining life everlasting. Oh, let us always preserve a pure and undefiled heart, that we may never lose the gracious presence of God.

Those who do not keep the word of Christ, that is, who refuse to do what He lays upon them as an obligation, cannot expect that God will love them and take His abode with them. Christ says: "Learn of Me because I am meek and humble of heart." (Matt. 11:29) and how many are there who allow themselves to be governed by anger, pride and ambition! He says: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33); and how many are there who care only for worldly things and neglect the service of God and the business of their salvation! He says: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matt. 16:24); and how many are there who give full scope to their inordinate passions and inclinations and will not hear of mortification, self-denial and the carrying of the cross. He says: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful" (Luke 6:36); and how many are there who are unmerciful towards the poor and the needy, who even try to take advantage of the necessities of their fellow men! He says: "If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offenses" (Matt. 6:15); and how many are there who, for months and years, live in enmity with their neighbour and refuse to forgive. He says: "Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing" (Matt. 5:26); and how many are there who sin by theft, cheating, injustice, and who possess the goods of others without making restitution! Let us examine ourselves and see whether we are not of the great number of those who act contrary to the teaching of Christ.

This Sunday's Mass recalls the First Novena, commanded by Christ Himself from the Ascension to Pentecost in preparation for the coming of the Holy Ghost, Who was to give birth to the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, with Mother Mary present. The Introit presents the Apostles' Novena prayer and ours too. The Gospel describes how to be such a witness, interiorly to "watch in prayers," exteriorly by "mutual charity among yourselves." In the Prayer we plead for grace to be "sincere" witnesses not in words but works. For this we offer this sacrifice (Secret) to cleanse us of past disloyalties and strengthen us for future testimony.

Today is Feast of St. Ubaldus E. C., an Augustinian, who had a special power to see through the deceits of the Devil, He was Bishop of Gubbio, Italy, passed away in 1160. Although not commemorated in the newer rubrics of the Mass, pray to the Saint to detect deceits of Satan.

In today's Gospel Our Lord lays out some conditions for our prayers. Ask and you shall receive. But, we must ask in His name. Thus our prayers must be asked in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Father will hear our prayer then because He cannot refuse His Son anything. The Father will love us and hear us because we have loved and believed in Jesus Christ.
 
There are many who pray and are not heard. Our Lord tells the Apostles that their prayers have not been heard yet because they have not yet asked. How often men move their lips but their hearts are far from God. And yet, these will be the loudest to proclaim that they pray always or very frequently. It does not help us if we multiply our prayers as so many who boast of the many rosaries they say every day, if they are only words. Nor, will it avail us any if we do not truly believe in Christ and all that He has taught us. Nor, yet is it enough to say the words and to believe, we must still be motivated by love. Remember that the Father will hear our prayers because we have loved the Son. The Father will love us because we have loved His Son.
 
We must ask.
 
We must ask in the name of Jesus Christ.
 
We must believe in Jesus Christ and all that He has taught us
 
We must love Jesus Christ.
 
To love means that we obey. "If you love Me, you will keep My word." How have we kept the commandments of God? How have we kept the commandments of His Church which speaks in His name? If we do not keep these laws we cannot truly say that we love God. If we do not love God, why should He hear our prayers?
 
We have been taught that if we bring our offering to God and there we remember that our brother has something against us, that we must leave our gift and first go and reconcile ourselves with our brother and then come back and make our offering. If our prayers are hindered by the lack of Charity between ourselves, it is all the more so when there is a lack of love for God. So before we even begin to ask we must first examine our consciences. If indeed we see there any rebellion or disobedience to God and His Church, we must first begin with true repentance. For as long as our conscience is burdened our love of God is likewise burdened. And as long as our love is burdened then so must our prayers be burdened. We must remember that God's love for us is conditioned by our love of Jesus Christ. "For the Father Himself loveth you, because you have loved Me ..." And the Father hears the prayers of those whom He loves.
 
Prayer is the lifting up of our hearts and minds to God, and those who truly love God are constantly praying. All that they do they do for the love of God. As St. Paul says: it does not matter, if we work or play; sleep or keep vigil; feast or fast; etc., as long as we do it for the love of God. Our prayers should become frequent and familiar because God is constantly in our hearts and minds because we love Him. And the more that we love Him the more we think of Him. Yet, we must likewise guard against contempt. Familiarity breeds contempt. Our prayers must be frequent but never without respect and reverence. We must never forget to Whom we are speaking when we pray.
 
As long as we pray with fervour and devotion we lead a good life. The temptations which assail us inwardly and outwardly may be numerous and continuous; we stand firm, for as the stake supports the little tree, so prayer supports us. But if we become careless in prayer, and neglect it altogether, or perform it only hastily and without devotion, we totter and fall, and it is a terrible fall. We will fall into the dangerous state of lukewarmness, which is the precursor of sin and the loss of grace. If we fall, prayer is even more necessary. Every sinner is only converted by prayer. And yet, how many sinners refuse to pray? How many cannot even find the time to say one Our Father? How many neglect public worship on Sundays and holidays, or attend it without any devotion and prayer, and even scoff at those who love to pray? Those who remain in sin and despise prayer will most certainly perish, unless they change their minds and begin to pray.

In this Mass is set forth the theme of "justice," interior and social. Notice its frequent mention in theprincipal parts. For the realisation of this "justice" (Gospel), Jesus tells us it is necessary for the Divine Spirit to enter into human affairs against "the prince of this world" to "convince it of justice."

Hence, the Introit bids us sing a "new" canticle for God "hath revealed His 'justice'." The Prayer evidently referring to social justice, makes us realise that only God can "make all of one will." The Epistle and Offertory extol the gifts of interior justice that come from the Father.

One verse of the Gospel intimates how grieved was Jesus when none asked Him, "Whither goest Thou?" The world cares not, but it is essential that He go and ask the Spirit to come for the sake of "justice." Otherwise, we shall be left to the fate of our own injustice.

Today is Feast of St. Athanasius E. C. D. of the IV Century, great champion of the Church, who fought those who denied the Divinity of Our Lord, which also affected the Doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity. He was exiled five times from his diocese in Alexandria, Egypt before passing away in 373. He is regarded as one of the great Doctors of the Eastern Church. Although the Feast is not commemorated in the Mass today, pray for the assistance of the Saint to overcome the terrible heresies of today.