Since God exists eternally, then for all eternity God has had an object to love. This means that for all of eternity, the Son existed as the object of the Father's Love and the Father has existed as the object of the Son's Love and the Holy Spirit as the Love between the Father and the Son.

So, why should this even matter? It matters because human beings are created in the image and likeness of this Triune God! Therefore, imaging God is impossible without serving others. Selfishness is the opposite of godliness. The church cannot legitimately exist as a community that feeds and ministers only to itself.

As the life of the Father is poured into the Son and the Son into the Father and the Trinity into us, so the community of believers must be marked by lives being poured out in love and service to others! Parents pouring out their lives into their children; husbands into their wives and vice versa, siblings loving and supporting each other; pastors, bishops and religious laying down their lives for their flock. And teachers for their students; the young for the old; the adult for the youth; the healthy for the sick, the free for the imprisoned, and the well-off for the needy.

On our 149th anniversary as a parish, we proclaim not only that "we've come this far by faith" ~ but by WORKS of service as well!

[Note: Repeat from: Fr. Pat’s Sermon Notes Trinity Sunday 2006]