Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

The Holy Trinity

 

Perhaps the deepest, the most profound of all mysteries is the mystery of the Trinity. The Church teaches us that although there is only one God, yet, somehow, there are three Persons in God. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God, yet we do not speak of three Gods, but only one God. They have the same nature, substance, and being.

 

We came to know this immense mystery because Christ revealed it to us. Just before ascending He told them: "Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). We know that these Three are not just different ways of looking at one person. For at the Last Supper, Jesus told us: "I came forth from the Father." So He is different from the Father. But He also promised: "If I go, I will send Him [the Paraclete] to you. . . . He will guide you to all truth" (John 16:28, 7, 13). So the Holy Spirit is also different.

 

Even though the Three Persons are One God, yet they are distinct: for the Father has no origin, He came from no one. But the Son is begotten, He comes from the Father alone. The Holy Spirit comes or proceeds from both the Father and the Son. These different relations of origin tell us there are three distinct Persons, who have one and the same divine nature.

 

Even though everything the Three Persons do outside the Divine nature is done by all Three, yet it is suitable that we attribute some works specially to one or the other Person. So we speak of the Father especially as the power of creation, of the Son as the wisdom of the Father, of the Holy Spirit as goodness and sanctification.

 

The two doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation are the foundation of Christian life and worship. By becoming man, God the Son offered us a share in the inner life of the Trinity. By grace, we are brought into the perfect communion of life and love which is God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This sharing in the life of the Trinity is meant to culminate in heaven, where we will see the three Persons face to face, united to them in unspeakable love.

 

 

Litanity of the Most Holy Trinity

 

V. Blessed be the holy Trinity and undivided Unity;
R. We will give glory to Him, because He hath shown His mercy to us.

V. O Lord our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in all the earth!
R. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy
Blessed Trinity, hear us. Adorable Unity, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,  Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,  Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,  Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,  Have mercy on us.
Father from Whom are all things,  Have mercy on us.
Son through Whom are all things,  Have mercy on us.
Holy Ghost in Whom are all things,  Have mercy on us.
Holy and undivided Trinity,  Have mercy on us.
Father everlasting,  Have mercy on us.
Only-begotten Son of the Father,
Spirit Who preceedeth from the Father and the Son,  Have mercy on us.
Co-eternal Majesty of Three Divine Persons,  Have mercy on us.
Father, the Creator,  Have mercy on us.
Son, the Redeemer,  Have mercy on us.
Holy Ghost, the Comforter,  Have mercy on us.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,  Have mercy on us.
Who art, Who was, and Who art to come,  Have mercy on us.
God Most High, Who inhabits eternity,  Have mercy on us.
To Whom alone are due all honor and glory,  Have mercy on us.
Who alone doest great wonders,  Have mercy on us.
Power infinite,  Have mercy on us.
Wisdom, incomprehensible,  Have mercy on us.
Love unspeakable,  Have mercy on us.

Be merciful, Spare us, O Holy Trinity.
Be merciful, Graciously hear us, O Holy Trinity.

From all evil,  Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all sin, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all pride, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all love of riches, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all uncleanness, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all sloth, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all inordinate affection, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all envy and malice, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all anger and impatience, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From every thought, word, and deed contrary to Thy holy law, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From Thine everlasting malediction, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
Through Thy plenteous loving kindness, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
Through the exceeding treasure of Thy goodness and love, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
Through the depths of Thy wisdom and knowledge, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
Through all Thy unspeakable perfections, Deliver us, O Holy Trinity.

We sinners,
Beseech Thee, hear us.

That we may ever serve Thee alone,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may love Thee with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That, for Thy sake, we may love our neighbor as ourselves,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may faithfully keep Thy holy commandments,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may never defile our bodies and souls with sin,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may go from grace to grace, and from virtue to virtue,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That we may finally enjoy the sight of Thee in glory,  We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to hear us,  We beseech Thee, hear us.

O Blessed Trinity, We beseech Thee, deliver us.
O Blessed Trinity, We beseech Thee, save us.
O Blessed Trinity, Have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father (silently);
Hail Mary (silently).

V. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, in the firmament of Heaven,
R. And worthy to be praised, and glorious, and highly exalted forever.
 

Let Us Pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, Who hast granted Thy servants in the confession of the True Faith, to acknowledge the glory of an Eternal Trinity, and in the power of Thy majesty to adore a Unity: we beseech Thee that by the strength of this faith we may be defended from all adversity. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.