Preparing for the Feast of the Holy Trinity

 

This coming Sunday, June 12, is the Feast of the Holy Trinity. There'll be a prayer for the Feast Day itself, but I'd like to bring forward the posts from some time ago which proposed to teach us about the Old Testament Icon of the Holy Trinity (seen here) painted by St. Andre Rublev. 

On the far right of this blog page you'll see a number of bullet points that link us to other collected posts that have been presented since Pauca Verba's start in March of 2013. The 5th bullet point reads simply, The Trinity Icon. Click on that and a number of other links open which reflect upon some aspect of the icon. You might be interested in exploring that a bit in anticipation of Sunday's Feast.

Early Morning Prayer to the Virgin Mary

My brother's sunrise view near Buffalo, NY 

Truly blessed Lady,

   who bore,

   who nursed

 the dear One of Bethlehem.

Wonderful in your maternity,

Wonderful in your tenderness 

   for us still.

We greet you first in the morning,

   as the sky begins to brighten,

as the wood warbler starts to sing!

Fr. Stephen Morris

Intercessions ~ Feast of Pentecost

Peony ~ Mary's Rose

Monday is the new feast of Mary,/ Mother of the Church./ She is the one who first says yes to Jesus and who perseveres in praise, faith and service./ May we imitate her in the life of the Church./ We pray to the Lord.

In the Eastern Christian church the Pentecost color is not red, but green./ The church is covered with green branches and grasses brought in to cover everything,/ even the floor./ May we green and grow in the Easter Mystery we have been celebrating for seven weeks/ built up in faith,/ hope and love./ We pray to the Lord.

A few days after the Uvalde massacre of 19 fourth graders and two teachers,/ there were an additional 9 domestic terror attacks in the nation./ Now only the biggest ones make headlines/ in this nation where there are more guns than people./ Is the problem the gun lobby?/ Is the problem a political, one?/ Is the problem big money?/ Or is that many people/ including those in leadership simply do not care?/ Teach us,/ heal us./ We pray to the Lord. 

In August, / Pope Francis will create 21 new cardinals./ They come/ not from the high profile nations and cities/ but places far flung./ One cardinal from India is a Dalit/ once referred to scurrilously as untouchable./ May we learn what it means to be a truly open-armed,/ open hearted church,/ where people feel at home ~ named,/ known and valued./ We pray to the Lord.

At the start of June we pray for those who will celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries and other days of remembrance./ We pray for graduates,/ the safety of summer travelers and those in harms way during storms./ May the earth be blessed with the gift of rain where it is needed./ May we see appreciate water as a great gift not to be wasted./ We pray to the Lord.

Monday marks the 100th day of the invasion of Ukraine./ Pope Francis has said, the logic behind the invasion is diabolical./ Rape,/ theft,/ civilian murder,/ lies,/ vast and wonton destruction are the evils used to demoralize an entire population./ Once again,/ Ukraine is the Land of Blood./ We pray boldly for God to rise up./ We pray to the Lord.

The prayer we know from childhood calls upon the Holy Spirit to kindle the fire of love in human hearts/ to create and re-create us/ and to renew the face of the earth./ We ask for the healing of our world and of our own nation./ May we know God's spirit-victory over human ignorance, hatred and indifference./ We pray to the Lord.