Today, 24th of June, we celebrate
The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
First Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31
Thus says the wisdom of God:
"The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
"When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race."
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R./ O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or: R. Alleluia.
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place -
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R./ O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or: R. Alleluia.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
R./ O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or: R. Alleluia.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R./ O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or: R. Alleluia.
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Brothers and sisters:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Gospel Reading: John 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."
The Spirit of Truth will guide you to the whole truth
Dear brothers and sisters, peace and all good.
Father Fernando Armellini, an Italian missionary and biblical scholar, begins his reflection this Sunday with a presentation I find very timely to share here:
What is the true identity card of Christians? What sets them apart from believers of other religions?
Not love for neighbor—many other religions, as we know, also do good for others. Not prayer—Muslims pray too. Not faith in God—even pagans believe in God. Believing in God isn’t enough. What matters is: what kind of God do we believe in? Is God just a force or is He someone real? Is He a Father who wants to share His life, or a ruler who wants more subjects?
Muslims say: God is the Absolute. He is the Creator who lives far above, who governs from on high and never comes down; He is a judge waiting for the time to ask for an account. The Jews, on the other hand, say that God walks with His people, shows Himself in history, and seeks a covenant with humanity. Christians, today, celebrate the most unique part of their faith: they believe in a Triune God. They believe that God is the Father who created the universe and leads it with wisdom and love; that He didn’t stay in heaven, but that His Son—His very image—came to become one of us; and that He carries out His plan of love through His power, through His Spirit.
Every idea or image we have of God immediately shapes our idea of humanity. In the face of every Christian, we should see the face of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Church itself should be the visible image of the Trinity, receiving everything from God and giving it all freely, living totally for others like Jesus did. In the Church, differences are not erased in the name of unity—they’re celebrated as richness.
We should be able to see the mark of the Trinity in families where real love is lived out—where people listen, understand each other, and are open to loving those who most need to feel loved.
It’s clear: depending on the image of God we carry in our hearts, our way of living the faith will look very different. We might live in fear before a punishing God, or without boundaries if we see God only as merciful… That image shapes how we live our faith—personally, as families, and in community.
All our celebrations, all our prayers, begin and end “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” That’s also how our lives unfold.
We are born because a Father chose to give us life. We didn’t create ourselves. This Father gives us a purpose and a direction—He shows us the meaning of life: to become like Him, who shared His life with us through His Son, Jesus Christ. And like Adam, we are given His Breath—His very Spirit. That divine breath within us makes it possible to become not just creatures, but children who are perfect like our Heavenly Father, creative like Him, free before Him, full of love and self-giving, joyful and eternal.
That’s why Christians choose baptism and dedicate their lives to this amazing God.
And when we die, we receive God’s final blessing. The Father welcomes us as His children and tells us there’s a home prepared for us in His house. The Son blesses us too, reminding us that He faced death Himself and placed His life in the Father’s hands. He conquered death—He was the first among many brothers and sisters—and promised to come back for us once our place in the Father’s house is ready. And the Holy Spirit, who lived within us, intercedes for us and longs to dwell in us again. Saint Paul reminds us: we are temples of the Holy Spirit.
That’s why Christians often make the Sign of the Cross—it’s the mark that identifies us as part of the flock of the Good Shepherd, the ID that lets us walk freely in the City of God, the New Jerusalem.
When we trace the Cross on our forehead, lips, chest, and whole body, we are already praying. We’re offering ourselves and renewing our dedication to God. We’re telling God He is the meaning of our life, that we thirst for Him, and that nothing on earth can fully satisfy us. We’re saying that our hearts long for Him and love Him—even if we don’t always realize it. When we try to live sincerely, without masks or excuses, and offer the best of ourselves, we are answering His call and living our mission. We make that sign with our own hand—hands meant for blessing and dedication, not for harm or destruction.
At the start of today’s celebration, we recognized ourselves as sinners. What does that mean? It means that on our journey through life, we haven’t always lived as people set apart for God. We haven’t been creative. We’ve cheapened our freedom. We’ve held back parts of ourselves that were meant to be shared. Our love and generosity have barely been used… But through forgiveness, we are renewed. And then we’ll receive the “Wonderful Food” that gives us the strength for eternal life. We’ll experience the deep brotherhood that reminds us that every human being is our sibling—despite all differences. And the Spirit will transform us into what we’ve received: the Body of Christ.
Before the Gospel was proclaimed, we traced another Sign of the Cross. That gesture expressed our desire to welcome God’s Word into our mind (to guide our actions), on our lips (to speak words of love), and into our heart and our whole being (to live the message of Jesus each day).
But how do we know all this? How can we say such things about our great God—the God of peace and love? Because He has revealed Himself, step by step, from Abraham and Moses to Jesus. In the first reading, we see how God “shows” Himself to Moses: a God who comes down to meet people, full of mercy, compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness. Before Him, Moses—and we—bow down and worship.
Saint Paul, after saying, “May the God of love and peace be with you,” draws a conclusion: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” In other words, when we share a holy kiss or an embrace of brotherhood, we are actually worshiping the Trinity. A hug or a kiss can be a beautiful prayer that pleases God.
That’s why we are here—not to argue or fight, not to ignore or distance ourselves from each other, but to look at one another with kindness, to draw close and welcome one another sincerely, to communicate and unite. Because that’s what God is like.
Whoever believes in the Christian God has this mission: to be His image and likeness. That means reflecting a God who is love, communication, self-giving—a God who is a person, a family-community, who comes to help humanity, even giving His only Son so that no one who believes in Him will be lost.
That means saying:
If we live the opposite of God’s way, we’re choosing destruction and unhappiness. We don’t need God to tell us—we’ll destroy ourselves on our own.
So let’s do everything in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Your brother in faith,
Alejandro Carbajo, cmf Greetings
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of the Father
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. Experience God with the Heart
At this celebration of the Blessed Trinity, perhaps we ask ourselves how we can understand this one God with three faces, the Trinity. Our human mind is too small to grasp this mystery. But the Bible, already in the Old Testament, shows us that wisdom is not mere knowledge but the art of life, understanding with the heart as we reflect on our experience. And that experience tells us: God is love, and comes to us in many ways, with fatherly and motherly concern and care, with forgiveness and life brought us by Jesus, with courage and joy, hope and light poured out on us by the Holy Spirit. May we grow in this experience in this eucharist.
B. Our Relationship with God
Theologians try to deepen our understanding of God. That is their task, and God blesses them for it. Our concern is probably much more what God means for our Christian living. What, or better, who is God for me? What is my relationship to God? We are constantly told that God loves us and that he forgives us. How do I recognize this love? How do I respond to it? How does it affect my relations with people? Let God enlighten us on this feast of the Trinity and bring us closer to him.
Penitential Act
God generously shares his life with us.
How have we responded to his offer?
Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you have made known to us
a Father who loves us more tenderly than a mother,
who never withdraws his mercy and trust.
All praise through you to the Father!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you became one of us
to seek out what was lost
and you gave up your life for us:
All praise to you for your kindness!
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you pour out on us
the inventive, creative, refreshing Spirit.
All praise to you for the Spirit!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us our sins and accept our thanks
for all the goodness you let us experience.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let the Holy Spirit pray in our hearts
to our living and loving God
(PAUSE)
Our One God,
you wanted to be a communion of three persons
so that you could share your one love;
you made yourself one of us in Jesus, your Son,
so that you could draw us into that love.
Give us the grace to respond to your goodness
through the Spirit poured out into our hearts.
Fill us with joy and wonder for you
and inspire us to love our brothers and sisters,
to share with them and to be one with them,
because you have loved us first
in Christ Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: God's Creative Wisdom
In the Old Testament, God lets his word of wisdom speak as a person who carries out God's plan. God's living word becomes human in Jesus Christ: he will help people to live according to God's wise plan.
Second Reading Introduction: The Blessed Trinity In The Life Of Christians
Jesus, God's wisdom, has brought us into the Father's world of forgiveness and grace. The Holy Spirit of love gives us the power to love. Our Christian life is thus rooted in the Blessed Trinity.
Gospel Introduction: The Spirit Will Reveal To Us The Father And The Son
The Holy Spirit brings us the full, living truth about God; that is, the Spirit helps us to live in the love of the Father and to follow Jesus.
General Intercessions
Filled with the love of our Father, let the Holy Spirit cry out in our hearts and say: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father of all love, put in our hearts the will to seek unity and peace for all. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father of all humanity, keep alive and strengthen in every believer the hope to be near to you as you are close to us. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Our creative and saving Father, unite all Christians in the unity of one faith and of one way of life in Jesus your Son. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father, friend of people, lift up those in distress and pain; give them courage and a hope that does not delude them. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
- Father whose children we are, let all Christian communities bear witness to your faithful care, your freedom, your justice and your joy. And so we pray: R/ Our holy and mighty God, hear us.
Loving Father, hear our prayer, for it expresses our communion with you and with our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father,
accept these gifts of bread and wine
and through your Holy Spirit change them
into your creative word among us,
your Son Jesus Christ.
Let our eating and drinking
of his body and blood
strengthen us in the covenant of love
with you and with our brothers and sisters,
that we may reflect your eternal love
until we live in full communion with you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
our God for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
With and through Jesus we offer to the Father in heaven this eucharist made holy by the Spirit. We now express our joy and gratitude.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
Through the Holy Spirit of love
poured out into our hearts,
let us pray to God our Father
the prayer of Jesus our Lord: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and give to our times
the peace promised by your Son.
Show yourself our generous Father
and forgive us all our sins.
Guide us by the strength of your Spirit
to grow as a community of love
and to prepare in patient, joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom..
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus our Lord,
who has reconciled us with the Father
and who guides us by his Spirit of love.
Happy are we to be invited
to become one with him
and to share his life as God's sons and daughters.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God, our Father,
our whole life is placed under the sign
of you and your Son and your Holy Spirit.
Thank you for committing yourself to us.
Help us to commit ourselves
to our brothers and sisters in need
and to be among them
your sign of unity, love and hope,
that we may truly live
in the name of you, Father,
of Jesus, your Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Let us go home in joy
with the blessing of the Father who loves us,
of the Son who brought us forgiveness and life,
and of the Spirit who lives in our hearts. R/ Amen.
Let the whole of our lives give praise to God.
R. Thanks be to God.
