Last Sunday, a new priest was created for the Diocese of Sacramento. One of the most moving moments during the Ordination Rite comes before the candidate steps forward before the bishop and impart his hands on his head in that ancient gesture that we get from the original Apostles (cf. Acts 9:17, Acts 13:2-3). In front of the entire church, he lies prostrate faced down on the cold concrete floor. In this seemingly simple act, he tells God and the entire Christian people: "I am completely yours. My life is no longer my own." 

Every priest is called to give of himself, entirely, and wholeheartedly, holding nothing back. That is the heart of why we sacrifice getting married and having our own families. In loving service, we are "poured out like a drink offering" (Philippians 2:17).

The life of the priest is none other than a reflection of the life of the Most Holy Trinity itself. This central mystery of the Christian faith that we remember this Sunday. God is Father, who pours himself out to the Son. Jesus, in turn, pours himself out back to the Father. This love between the two is the Holy Spirit. In the language of our theology, we serve one God, who exists as three divine persons. If you're confused, you're in good company. The early Christians were just as baffled when Jesus revealed to them this strange truth. One way to begin to penetrate this mystery of mysteries is to recognize that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all belong to one another. In a similar way, you and I, also belong to them.