Bishop’s ordination homily elucidates mystery of the Trinity

By Paul binz

The Valley Catholic

BROWNSVILLE   —   In his homily at the ordination Mass of Father Mauricio Rodriguez June 3 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Bishop Daniel E. Flores offered special insight on the mystery of the Trinity while outlining the life of a priest.

“You should remember that it was the day before Holy Trinity (Sunday) that you were ordained,” Bishop Flores told the candidate for the priesthood. “And the Gospel of the Lord Jesus speaks about being sent by the Father, and he speaks about calling us friends. … And the mystery of friendship with Jesus is the principal way we have to understand the greatness, not just of the love of God, but the mystery of God himself. Because God is love, says St. John.”

“What does friendship with Jesus really mean? You could describe the ministry of the priest primarily as seeking to cultivate in his own life this friendship, (and) inviting the participation of the others in this world in this friendship,” Bishop Flores said. “You could write the whole ministry of the priest in these few words.

“You could describe the ministry of the priest primarily as seeking to cultivate this friendship of which Jesus speaks in the Gospel today not only in his own life — certainly in that — but also to see the mission in terms of seeking to encourage participation of the whole world. Not just the parish, but the whole world!

“God is known by his work. And God the Father sent his Son into the world … out of pure love, he sent his Son,” Bishop Flores said. “… We call this Son, according to the Scriptures, ‘Word.’ The very thought of God the Father has become Flesh. … We believe in a God who draws close to us, not a God who sits on his throne waiting for us to draw close to him.”

“And so the Son — crucified and risen, the Word, the mind, the thought of the Father — breathes the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Flores said. “This affection that God has for us — that’s the Spirit he breathes.

“What does this friendship with Jesus mean? Is it just a nice image? No, it does mean something. … To be a friend of Jesus is to share in his mind, know his thoughts, and participate in the love in his heart and live in this love …”

“This is the Christian life. … Without sharing in the love of God, there is no salvation for us,” Bishop Flores said.

“That is what salvation is — it’s sharing this love, and it’s a special love. It’s the love of the Father for the Son, and it’s breathed upon us. The priest is the friend of Christ, in this way, with this mission — that this friendship, we might all participate.”