Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Annual Mass for Volunteer Sunday

Homily

By the Most Rev Bishop Don Sproxton
Auxiliary Bishop of Perth

St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth
Sunday 26 May, 2024

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In my first year at High school, I began my science studies. The very first lesson was on how to observe. Observation is a key skill in the study of science. We were all given a candle, asked to light it and then write down everything we saw or felt or heard as we observed the candle burning.

I was fascinated by the different colours in the flame. I could see yellow, orange and even blue at the centre.

The Word of God we have received on the feast of the Trinity reminds us of two elements that are diametrically opposed but which have been signs of the presence of God to his people from the times of Moses: Fire and Water.

It was in the fiery burning bush that God became present and the close relationship between God and humanity was revealed. What fascinated Moses was that this bush that was alight was not being consumed. Curiosity drew him towards this miraculous thing.

As he came closer, he heard the voice: Come no closer. Take off your sandals. You are standing on holy ground. What followed was the call of God to go back to his people and bring them out from their Egyptian slavery. He would become the agent of God. He would reintroduce his people to their God and prepare them for a new relationship with God and the journey home.

Water was chosen by Jesus to bring the peoples of the entire world together. Go to all the nations and baptise the people and know that I am with you until the end. By the baptism, people are brought together, despite their many differences and made sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters to one another, where barriers are broken down.

This is the call of God to all of us. We have not always been successful in living according that call, but the patience of God has meant that we have been able to start again, be converted of heart and given new eyes to see our neighbours and their needs.

The Trinity, the Father who is God, the Son who is God, the Spirit who is God, the One God who is three persons, beckons us to join in the life and mission of the One God. The mission of God is to bring about reconciliation and unity among us with the power of God’s Spirit.

The candle I observed has provided me with a symbol of the deep reality of God. In the one flame there was the blue heart. In the colours, the expression of the nature of fire. The light that illumines in the dark is the power of the light to make things clear. All from the one flame.

The Persons of God are the Father at the heart, the creator; the expression and revelation of God is the Son, the Word of God; the enlightenment of our hearts and the gift of faith, is the Spirit, powerfully making clear who we are and how to be one with God and one another.

We have invited the many volunteers in our parishes and agencies to join us in the celebration of this Mass so that we can give thanks for their generous service as volunteers. They are people who have seen a need and responded and have done something about it.

Our Volunteers have been drawn into the relationship with God our Father and been receptive to the Word that has revealed to them who is our neighbour and have been strengthened by the Spirit and empowered to step out into the reality of those in need.

Let us thank God for their generosity and the difference our Volunteers are making to the lives of our brothers and sisters.