In June of 2008, there were two of us ordained for the Diocese of Brooklyn. It was the singular most important day of my life, a day for which my appreciation has only grown in the 16 years since.

We know that the entire Bible is centered on the person of Jesus. Every word points to the Word made flesh, and sometimes you can even find passages written long before His birth that very clearly describe Him.

How’s your Aramaic? My knowledge of biblical Aramaic is still quite good, even though when I first dove into that language as a graduate student, the textbook we used was no more than a cheap, low-quality photocopy of an out-of-print Aramaic grammar written in Latin by Ludovicus (no doubt his family called him Luis) Palacios.

Translation matters. If you doubt that, consider this! In the King James Version of the Bible (dating to 1611), here’s how the Letter of James invites us to consider the human protagonist of Sunday’s first reading: “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and
have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (Jas 5:11).

When they invite me to contribute Sunday Scriptures columns, the editors of The Tablet politely remind me to keep them to about 550 words.

“Who are these people and what in the world are they doing?”

That’s what plenty of curious people must have been asking last Sunday as the people of our diocese met the Eucharistic procession mid-span on the Brooklyn Bridge and continued the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage through the streets of Brooklyn.

As we come together on this solemn feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate the profound mystery of one God in three Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This day holds a special significance for all of us, inviting us to meditate on the unity and love that binds the Trinity and every one of us in a divine family.

In the course of our lives, we encounter various experiences that shape our understanding and outlook. Among these experiences are moments of both joy and sorrow, including the solemn occasion of attending funerals, which serve as stark reminders of life’s impermanence.

Reflecting on the readings for this weekend’s Mass brings to mind a strong memory from my past, a moment of profound revelation about the power of community and the boundless strength found in unity.