This Sunday is the Feast of the Body and Blood of Our Lord. Traditionally it was referred to as the Feast of Corpus Christi. In different parts of the world, following a solemn Mass, the Eucharistic host was carried in the streets in a gold monstrance while the faithful walked in procession behind the priest. The feast has its origins in the Middle Ages when Western and Central Europe were largely Catholic, and devotion to Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament was at its apex.

This Sunday is the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, a major feast of the Church. Christianity is the only trinitarian religion, and belief in the Trinity, i.e., that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the most important teaching that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions in history. It is therefore the most important reason that all religions are not alike.

This Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost. Pentecost, the beginning and birthday of the Church, is an annual feast that closes out the Easterseason 50 days after the resurrection is celebrated. The word Pentecost has its root in the Greek word that means five. It is also a word that was used in Judaism during the time of Jesus, as Pentecost was the word used for the harvest festival Shavuot.

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. There are three great feasts during the fifty-day long Easter Season in the Church: Easter Sunday, Ascension Sunday, and Pentecost Sunday when the Holy Spirit entered the apostles. The three feasts are interconnected and have to be understood in relation to one another.