May 27
Beloved families of Good Shepherd,
Peace be with you! This Sunday we will celebrate the Holy Trinity when we gather together for worship. Holy Trinity Sunday is a special day in the life of the church when we celebrate the beautiful and eternal Mystery of our Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In this Sunday’s appointed Gospel reading from Matthew, the risen Jesus appears to his disciples and says, “All authority 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Jesus then promises his disciples that he will always be with them.
I believe the two most important things we can teach our children about the Holy Trinity are the following:
The Holy Trinity is Divine Love, which is the most powerful and most beautiful force in the universe, worthy of our highest priority and adoration.
The Holy Trinity dwells inside each of us, loves us infinitely, and will never leave us, no matter what.
Howard Thurman, writer and spiritual mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., believed that we are all children of God who possess an inner sanctuary which is the Indwelling Holy Trinity. In his meditation “The Inward Sea”, Thurman speaks about an inner sanctuary inside each of us and emphasizes the importance of fortifying our inward centers. As we support the spiritual lives of our children, we help them awaken to their inner sanctuary, their center in the Holy Trinity where they can be their truest and best selves in God. The holy work of parents, caregivers, and ministers is to help our children protect their Divine center from the cultural forces which could sabotage their spiritual well-being and lead them astray.
Ongoing participation in the sacraments and the life of the church enables our children to stay consciously connected to their beautiful center in the Holy Trinity and remain spiritually healthy in the midst of potentially destructive forces. When connected to a faith community and regular spiritual practices, our children become like strong spiritual trees, “planted by a river, a tree full of fruit with leaves that are always green.” (Psalm 1, from Psalms for Young Children, by Marie-Hélène Delval)
We still have a few spots open for Vacation Bible School 2026: Rooted in Love! We will explore five spiritual practices which help us take root in God’s love and grow into strong, fruit-bearing spiritual trees. These fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Register your child(ren) HERE for VBS.
We hope to see you this Sunday!
Many Blessings,
Patty