Gospel – Matthew 28:16-20
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Reflection by Brother Thomas Casey, FSC – Auxiliary Visitor
Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
“Most Holy Trinity” Those words initiate the profession of vows for us Brothers, and have since the time of our Founder. Echoing the movement of a proton, a neutron, and an electron within an atom they convey a power and an energy pulsing through creation. They reference a metaphor for God that incorporates the interface, the dynamism, and the unity associated with the challenge of coming together for a purpose. Might there be hints of a divine template in the evolution of our association as a community of Lasallians? St. La Salle suggests this as he reflects on the band of Brothers he brought together (Meditation 39.3). Diversity and creativity abide in both the Holy Trinity and our Lasallian association. Solidarity and relationship are key components of each scenario. They share the goal of “life in its fullness” (Jn. 10:10).
John Baptist de La Salle saw the need and the value of recognizing the role of association in the establishment and sustainability of the schools he staffed with the initial group of Brothers. My own experience as the first Executive Director of The De La Salle School in Freeport, NY required the support, expertise, and concern of many people for a viable ministry to coalesce and thrive. Indeed, we humans are social beings and our Catholic tradition acknowledges this by inviting us to share one bread and one cup. Our intentional association as Lasallians who come together for the mission of providing a human and Christian education for the young, especially those on the margins, brands us as individuals united and mobilized for a vital cause. Indeed, if we believe we are made in “the image and likeness of God” (cf. Gen. 1:26) and we accept the doctrine of a triune God aren’t we more verb than noun? Isn’t it appropriate to be engaged in a movement?
At our baptism, we were welcomed into the ecclesial communion “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19). Daily we proclaim that we are acting “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. Very frequently, we pause to praise and give glory to “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.
As we invoke those words, “We are challenged to question whether our Lasallian communities reflect solidarity, openness to diversity, unconditional respect for all human beings, and the mutuality modeled by the Trinity.” (March 2018 draft of Guide for Lasallian Formation for Mission, Section 5.2)
(Can you correctly identify the locations where the accompanying photos showing images of the Trinity were taken? Contact Brother Thomas at casey@fscdena.org with your answers about the sites of the icon, the stained glass, and the mosaic.
Hint: The latter is across the street from a Lasallian community. The other two are in Lasallian communities.)