Sunday Reflections

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity.  The Trinity is one of the most mysterious aspects of Christian faith.  What does it mean to be three separate persons, and yet all be one God? I believe that how the Trinity works is something that our human limitations cannot ever fully comprehend; even Christian theology struggles to describe it.

So what are we celebrating today then?  Some nebulous concept?  No.  Although we may not completely grasp how the Trinity works, we know how the Trinity relates to humanity, and this we celebrate. 

God the Father is our Creator, he made the world and all within it.  The Father gives us life in his own image, to be creatures of his love here on earth.  In the first reading today we hear about Moses receiving the Law from God the Father.  This Law shows us how to live in God’s love.  The prophets were sent to remind us of the Father’s love for us, of the wonderful blessings we can receive if we live always in his love.

God the Son is our Redeemer.  He is the new Adam, incarnated as a human in order to die for the redemption of our sins and restore humanity to right relationship with God.  The Son came to fulfill the Law, in accordance with the prophets, to remind humanity that love is the greatest commandment and that all others flow from love.  Our Gospel reading today proclaims this great gift the Son has given us.

God the Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier.  The Holy Spirit is God’s enduring presence, with us every day to inspire, guide and encourage us.  The Spirit gives each of us gifts to help us live out our vocations, and to help us live in right relationship with God and others.  When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives we become sanctified. Last Sunday we celebrated receiving the Spirit on Pentecost, and we know that this person of the Trinity will always be with us, active in each of our lives.

All three persons of the Trinity are essential to us, so today we celebrate the mystery of the Trinity, God ever-one, who made each of us from love, for love and to love.