We all probably have a longing in our hearts for peace and security, for a simple and quiet life. Just like in this song written half a century ago: “Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast / Troubles will come and they will pass / You’ll find a woman, yeah, and you’ll find love / And don’t forget, son, there is someone up above.”

Today's Epistle seems to support this dream: "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous… For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile… Let him seek peace, and pursue it.”

On June 29, the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul is celebrated. According to the ancient tradition of the Church, they both died as martyrs in the same year and on the same day, both in Rome, although in different places.

In the ancient tradition of the Church, there are only three persons whose birthdays are liturgically celebrated: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His Mother, and John the Baptist.
John the Baptist's birthday is June 24, six months before the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.

The birth of John the Baptist is so important that the evangelist Luke begins his gospel with it – in fact, with its prelude. We are told of his parents who were pious people, but God had not blessed them with children.

The Gospel for the Second Sunday after Trinity tells of three men who were invited to a great supper but could not go because they had something more important to do – at least that’s what they thought. One had acquired a piece of land, another had bought five yokes of oxen, the third was on his honeymoon.

The Epistle for the First Sunday after Trinity speaks of love. Love, in the sense of the Holy Scripture, is not a feeling or even good deeds by which we serve our fellow man. Love should be our nature. God is love, says St. John, and we are the children of God, created in His image and likeness. We can have no greater or nobler goal than to grow into the fullness of love so that we would see God, who is love, face to face, and reflect His love so that everyone around us can share in it.