Scripture Reflection, May 30: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Scripture Readings:
Prov 8:22-31
Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Romans 5:1-5
John 16:12-15

"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth."

As I was driving to pick up my friend the other day I was running late. I passed up an older woman because she was going too slow. As I’m speeding down the street trying to make it on time I got caught by a red light. 5 seconds later, to my right was that older lady that I passed up 10 minutes ago. She gave me the dirtiest look! I was glad it was cold and I had my window rolled up because she probably would have started yelling at me.

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” Jesus is the ultimate cliffhanger. He doesn’t tell you the whole picture, he just tells you enough to keep you hooked and coming back for more. The only problem is we have to be patient. My spiritual director told me there are two prayers that Jesus will answer immediately. The first one is “Lord help me to be humble” and the second one is “Lord help me to be patient.” Once I prayed to be patient and ended up in the doctor’s waiting room for over an hour waiting for my appointment. The doctor was running late. Lately it seems that I don’t have to pray for patience, Jesus voluntarily gives me trials to test my patience.

This year my patience has been greatly tested. I have been unemployed all of the year, which has been hard. The mortgage comes due, the bills pile up, and my patience runs thin. Focusing on the problems is where patience is lost. At first I focused on Jesus and the problems were no big deal, but as time went on the problems became bigger. My focus on Jesus shifted to my focus on my problems. The more I focused on my problems, the further away Christ seemed and I found I had less patience, until I eventually gave up. “Lord you said you would provide for my needs, and help me out. Why aren’t you helping?” I kept on hearing, “Be patient. I have more to tell you, but not now.” I would tell him, "If not now Lord, when? There is no light at the end of the tunnel, there is no relief in sight, when are you going to help?” I would tell him. When I had finally given up, a friend of mine asked if I would take her to Chicago to take pictures and welcoming the distraction I agreed. After getting lost we ended up at Holy Name Cathedral. Fourteen men had just become “alter Christus” and people where lined up to receive their blessing. I asked one of them for a blessing. With a huge smile on his face the priest laid his hands on my head and started praying. “Lord, watch over your son and let him know that you are there with him through his troubles and tribulations. Let him know that you are by his side through all of them, and that you will bring him out of them.” Wow. I never met this man before in my life and his prayer over me was as if I told him everything I was struggling with. My friend that was with me received the same sensation; her prayer was fitting for what she was going through herself. We realized why the Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Holy Ghost. That experience was wonderful and spooky at the same time. He never knew us or met us before this day, but knew exactly what we were going through and what to pray for. I never knew the priests name, but I did recognize the power of the Holy Spirit working through him.

Today as I sit here writing this meditation a day past the due date, and an hour before I leave for a job interview it all makes sense. The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity makes sense. To experience the Love of the Father, the comfort of a best friend who also happens to be our Savior, and to feel the power of the Holy Spirit comforting us at the same time is what the Trinity is about.

“The Spirit will guide you all in truth.” I know now the beauty of being patient. Will I be patient from now on? Probably not. But at least I now know the beauty of it. If God had answered my prayers earlier I wouldn’t have been offered a paid position doing what I love doing; working with youth in youth ministry. The position became available on Tuesday morning. By Tuesday noon, the pastor who was looking for a youth minister called me. I didn’t even have to apply, he just told me the job is yours come in on Thursday so we can discuss your salary. I can look back and see that the light at the end of the tunnel was always there, I was just facing the wrong direction. Sometimes it takes the loving hand of a Father and the comfort of a Savior to turn your head around when you are so lost in your problems you forget the answer is simply just turn around.

Alfredo Flores-Carrillo

 (Alfredo - Pepe - Flores Carillo is a 2008 Catholics on Call alumnus and lives currently in East Chicago, IN. He will start his new position as Youth Minister at Nativity of Our Savior Parish in Portage, Indiana next week.)

Share your comments, questions, reflections with the CoC community on facebook.