Holy Trinity Sunday (CL)

1 Peter 5:1-14

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹² By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. ¹³ She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. ¹⁴ Greet one another with the kiss of love.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

The Holy Trinity has dominion over all things. The Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit who continues to sanctify us. We, with St Peter, look forward to the coming of the chief Shepherd. Then we will receive the unfading crown of glory, and the fullness of everlasting life.

St Peter warns us about those who would stand in opposition to the true faith. The Devil is a worthy adversary to our mortal flesh. The Devil prowls around seeking to devour our faith. He seeks to corrupt our understanding of Jesus, likewise our understanding of the Holy Trinity.

Therefore, we should humble ourselves before the Word of God. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of the Trinity. Because you can do nothing in order to save yourself, it is the mighty hand of God that has graciously granted you the gift of faith. It is the power of God most High who claims you, and defends you from the power of the Devil. The Devil may be a worthy adversary to our mortal flesh, but he is no match for the Holy Trinity.