MOST HOLY TRINITY     

The Council of Nicea affirmed as doctrine for the church the fact of the Trinity. It affirmed what was found in Mt.28.19. "Go, baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…" All Christian churches that I am aware of affirm that God is a Trinity of persons. There is a depth to the being of God. There is a profundity to his nature. It is true that we cannot understand what and how the Trinity "works". One thing is certain, it works to our benefit. If you take humans out of the equation you could sincerely ask whether there is need for a Trinity. If there is no creation, is there any need for Jesus? Holy Spirit? If God lives only in himself/herself. In relation to "nothingness" the doctrine of Trinity seems an unnecessary complication. My point is we are very much a part of God.

God created humanness because it was a part of his nature. He saved humans because we were not to be lost to worthlessness, expendability, uncounted and damned. In short, he loved us and saved us and dwells in us, "I am in you, you are in me". That you or I cannot comprehend Trinity is not a cause for concern. As Rabbi Kushner once said "I cannot understand God? I cannot understand my daughter!", "I don't understand electricity." There are things too wondrous to behold. Life is so precious, so good. When we "behold" life we can then "behold" the presence of God and then Trinity is a manifestation of God's Love. 

May 27, 2018 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Sunday (click to read)

The phenomenon of the Holy Trinity is perhaps the deepest mystery of our faith.  One God, but three person?  Limited by human concepts, we can only attempt to understand the mystery. God is truly one, but  God is not solitary.  God is in relationship, and always has been.  The intimate relationship of Father and Son and Spirit is an essential part of the identity of God.  The reading from Deuteronomy alludes to another triple relationship: that of God, the Chosen People, and the Promised Land.  Moses reminds the people of God’s awesome deeds, done specifically for the people God chose.  Paul makes the connection that if we are sisters and brothers in Christ, we are then also children of God.  We have received a “Spirit of adoption,” the Holy Spirit bearing witness to our relationship with God (Romans 8:15).  Then in Matthew we have the clearest expression of the Trinity, in Jesus’ instructions to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).  Since the Spirit comes upon us in Baptism and stays with us, Jesus is able to reassure the apostles (and us), “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).

Can you identify the presence of God in the Course of you life?

• First Reading - Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
• Second Reading - Romans 8:14-17 
• Gospel - Matthew 16-20 
• Music to reflect (click) - Be not afraid