Many references to the Trinity at Mass

May 28, 2015 at 8:26 am

What was one of the first prayers you ever learned?

While some might say, “the Lord’s Prayer,” or the “Hail Mary” or a meal prayer, probably the first prayer most of us learned was the Sign of the Cross: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Simple, direct, uncomplicated — with movements to help us remember, and all about the Holy Trinity.

This week, the first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Spirit. How many times do you think about the Trinity? How many times does the Trinity come up at Mass? (The whole Trinity, not just one of the three persons.)

Surprisingly, more often than we might think. However, many references come so automatically that, unless you think about it carefully, you might miss it. For example, before you get to your seat in the pew, you’ve already remembered the Trinity at least twice: If you blessed yourself with holy water coming into church, and if you genuflected to the tabernacle, you’ve probably made the sign of the cross twice. (And that doesn’t count glancing at artwork or stained glass of the Trinity.)

If you had the grace of time before Mass, you might have recited another of those prayers from childhood: “The Glory Be,” also called “the Lesser Doxology.” “Doxology” comes from two Greek words: doxa, meaning “glory” or “praise,” and logos, meaning “word.” Doxologies are hymns of praise to God.

The Mass is full of doxologies to the Trinity. For example, the Alleluia before the Gospel is the same every time we celebrate the Trinity’s feast, year in and year out: “Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was and who is to come.”

At the start of Mass, and on most Sunday Masses, after the penitential rite, we pray the Gloria: known as “the Great Doxology.” This is sometimes called “the Angelic Hymn,” because its first, and most ancient words, come from Luke’s Gospel (Lk 2:14), the song of the angels at Christ’s birth. (The Gloria is essentially a joyous hymn, which is why we did not use it during Lent.)

As the priest announces the Gospel reading, many will sign themselves with the triple sign of the cross, preparing to receive God’s word — in our minds, our lips and our hearts.

At the end of the eucharistic prayer, yet another doxology surfaces as the priest raises the consecrated bread and wine: “Through him, and with him and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.”

There are many “hymns of praise” to the Trinity — some spoken, some visual, some musical —at each Mass and with even more frequency at this feast of the Most Holy Trinity. What’s your favorite? Or, if you have a little extra time and creativity in church this week, make up your own: just remember “Trinity,” “words” and “praise.”

Kasten is an associate editor of The Compass and the author of two books: “Linking Your Beads: The Rosary’s History, Mysteries and Prayers” and “Making Sense of Saints.”

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