Book Reviews and More: Sermon Trinity Sunday Year A Frassati Leadership Program Commissioning Most Reverend Wayne Lobsinger, VG

Sermon Trinity Sunday Year A

Frassati Leadership Program Commissioning

Most Reverend Wayne Lobsinger, VG

May 31, 2026

First Reading: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9

Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Gospel Reading: John 3:16-18

Mount Mary Schoolhouse Chapel May 31, 2026

(Note: This sermon really struck me. It was from the commissioning of the future leaders who had completed the Frassati Leadership Program, in the Diocese of Hamilton. My youngest two children have both now completed the program, one 3 years ago and one this year. It was an excellent sermon. It is posted here with permission from Auxiliary Bishop Wayne Lobsinger, with thanks.)

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ. It is my great joy to be here with you this morning and to share in your completion of the Frassati Leadership program. I bring you greetings from Bishop Dabrowski. He has asked me to assure you of his prayers and support for you.

Today the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday, one of the most mysterious and beautiful feasts of the year. We believe in one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Not three gods. One God. Three Persons united in perfect love.

You may be wondering: "What does the Trinity have to do with my life?" Or even, "What does that have to do with leadership?" The answer is, quite a lot.

When most people hear the word leader, they think of someone powerful. Someone in charge. The captain of a team. The student council president. The person with the most followers on social media. The person who gets everyone else's attention. But Jesus teaches something very different. The Trinity shows us that true leadership is not about power over people. It is about love, service, and relationships.

Think about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each Person is distinct, yet each is constantly giving to the others. The Father gives everything to the Son. The Son gives everything back to the Father. The Holy Spirit is the bond of love between them. There is no competition, no jealousy, no trying to be more important than the others. Imagine how different our schools, sports teams, families, and friendships, even our world, would be if we lived that way.

Many conflicts begin because someone wants to be the center of attention. Someone wants credit. Someone wants to win every argument. Someone wants things their way. The Trinity shows us another way: a life centered on love rather than ego. That's the first lesson about leadership: A leader is not the person who asks, "How can I be important?" A leader asks, "How can I help others flourish?" Jesus demonstrated this perfectly. He is God. Yet He washed His disciples' feet. He welcomed outsiders. He forgave sinners. He sacrificed Himself on the cross.

In the world's eyes, leadership often means climbing higher. In Jesus' eyes, leadership means bending lower to serve. At your age, you already have opportunities to lead. You may not run a country or a company, but you influence people every day. Your friends notice how you speak. Your younger siblings watch what you do. Your teammates observe how you react when things go wrong. Leadership isn't a position. It's influence. And every one of you has influence. The question is: What kind of influence are you having?

The Trinity teaches us a second lesson: Great leaders build unity without destroying individuality.

The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. They are different Persons, yet perfectly united. Sometimes people think unity means everyone must be exactly the same. But that's not how God works. A great soccer team needs different positions. A great band needs different instruments.

A great school needs students with different gifts. Some of you are athletes.

Some are musicians. Some are artists. Some are excellent listeners. Some are natural organizers. Some are brilliant at science. Some are kind and compassionate. Leadership means helping different people work together toward something good. The best leaders don't make everyone become copies of themselves. They help others discover their gifts. The Trinity reminds us that diversity and unity can exist together.

We have a wonderful example of this kind of leadership in Pier Giorgio Frassati. Pier Giorgio lived just over 100 years ago, and he died when he was only 24 years old. He loved mountain climbing, sports, laughter, and spending time with friends. In many ways, he was a lot like the young people sitting here today. Yet what made him a leader wasn't that he was famous or powerful. It was the way he loved people.

Many of his classmates came from wealthy families, and so did he. But instead of spending all his time thinking about himself, he regularly visited the poor, the sick, and the lonely. Sometimes he even gave away money that he had been given for himself. His friends noticed that wherever Pier Giorgio went, people felt valued and cared for. He wasn't the loudest person in every room. He didn't seek attention. He led by example.

One of his famous sayings was, "To live without faith, without a heritage to defend, without a steady struggle for truth, that is not living but merely existing." That's a challenge for all of us. Are we merely existing, or are we living with purpose?

Pier Giorgio's leadership reflected something of the Trinity. Like the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, his life was focused on others rather than himself. He built friendships, brought people together, and used his gifts in service of those who needed help.

When his funeral procession passed through the streets, his family expected only a few people to come. Instead, thousands of poor people appeared: people whom Pier Giorgio had quietly helped over the years. His parents hardly knew who they were. But those people knew him. They knew they had been loved.

That is real leadership. Not having everyone know your name.

But making sure people know they are loved.

On this Trinity Sunday, the Church invites us to see that leadership is not first about authority; it is about relationship, service, and love. The Holy Trinity shows us what perfect love looks like, and young saints like Pier Giorgio Frassati show us that this kind of leadership is possible even for ordinary young people. The question is not whether you are old enough to lead. The question is whether you are willing to love as Christ loved.