R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

St. John Vianney used to explain the Holy Trinity using lighted candles and roses on the altar. The flame of the candle has its own color. It has its own warmth. It has its own shape. But it is one flame. The rose, too, has its own color. It has its own fragrance. It has its own shape. But it is still one reality. Three expressions of one reality.

So today we confess the ever ancient, ever new mystery of God: the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit — one God but three distinct persons. Often throughout the world Catholic believers sign themselves with the Cross professing the Faith in the Trinity as the core of life itself.

The very great Carmelite Saint Theresa of Ávila in Spain wrote, “Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you. God alone counts.” These are very true words — God is at the bottom of it all. But still we can worry about almost anything. We can become afraid, with or without reason, and then forget that God alone counts.

Through terminal cancer Christ took from us our bishop, George Murry, S.J. on Thursday at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City. He served for 13 years as the Shepherd of our Diocese of Youngstown. Bishop Murry loved to come here for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I knew him to have great devotion to the Blessed Mother. He was a convert and became Catholic in grade school, and the first time he heard here at Our Lady’s Basilica the hymn “As I kneel you,” he fell in love with the song. He repeatedly told many, “I want that hymn to be sung at my funeral. That is how we all need to live.” The hymn is a prayer to the Blessed Virgin, asking her to help us to give what we have to her — our every dream, our every wish — that she would present them to our Lord. “I see your smiling face, my every thought, my every word is lost in your embrace.” The hymn speaks of real life. May Mary the Mother of the Church help us in giving our total lives to God …

There is a story of three very good men on a far island who asked a visiting Bishop to teach them the Our Father. Their simple prayer had been to repeat, “The three of us before the Three of You.” The Bishop was surprised they did not know the prayer pronounced by Jesus Christ himself, but shaking his head in the affirmative, taught them. Some time later, as the Bishop’s boat was leaving the island, the Bishop witnessed a sight — The three men came walking on water to the Bishop’s departing boat to beg him, “We have already forgotten the prayer of the Our Father. Please teach us again.” The Bishop, moved, said, “Your own, humble prayer will reach the Lord, children of God. When you pray say simply, ‘The three of us Before the Three of You.”

Asking the Blessed Mother for help presenting your needs — your every dream, your every wish — to the Lord, remember each day to pray, humbly, “God, it’s me before the Three of You.”

Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the LORD had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.

Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, “LORD.”
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.”
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own.”

R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!

Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.