THE COMMUNITARIAN GOD
The Divine Godhead of the Most Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is communitarian. Hence, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity is not just the central mystery of the Christian faith, but also the demonstration of three persons of the Divine Trinity as God of communion and communication.
In this Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, the Church celebrates our belief that God is One and yet Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinctive in character or personality but equal in majesty and glory, One in Three and Three in One.
OUR CENTRAL MYSTERY OF FAITH
The Catechism of the Catholic Church rightly expresses it: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. ¨ It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the “hierarchy of the truths of faith. (CC 234; cf. Baptism, the Sign of the Cross)
OUR THEME
This solemnity invites us to be conscious of God’s creating, saving and sanctifying presence and power in our lives. The readings remind us of the awareness that the Trinitarian God is a close Presence to us.
It is an unfathomable mystery that we could understand its manifestation in the history of our faith and salvation, and in accordance/with revealing the truth and adoring its profundity in liturgical celebrations.
The readings show us one simple spiritual fact: God is a God of communion and communication. That is to say, the nature and relational attitude of the Trinitarian God are both communal and communicative. This mode of being is expressed through love, the bond of unity and existence among the Trinitarian Persons.
Today’s readings, Proverbs, Romans, and John, are about “pouring out.” God pours self out in Word; God and Word pour out the Spirit to help us pour ourselves out, and the Spirit pours forth Faith, strength, and character. Instead of spelling out the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, today’s readings summarise the effects of the Trinity in our daily lives.
In summary, the mystery of the Holy Trinity is known through the divine revelation of the Godhead in human Salvation history. Hence, our history of Faith and the works of the Trinity revealed to us the nature of the Godhead: God, the Father-Creator (Prov. 8:22-31); God the Son-Redeemer (Rom. 5:1-5) and God, the Holy Spirit-Sanctifier (Jn. 16:12-15) of the world.
FIRST READING: PROVERBS 8 22-31
God, the Father, is the Creator of the Universe through Wisdom and Intelligence: the creative love in action. The author of the book of Proverbs gave the creative power of the Trinitarian God and his imminent closeness to us.
In essence, the Book of Proverbs reflects on Wisdom, a quality that the book identifies with God. The Wisdom of God is not of power to control or dominate creation but to direct its purpose. In a creative way to express and demonstrate the nature and being of God as a relational God.
SECOND READING: ROMANS 5:1-5
There is a living and active hope in Christ Jesus, our Saviour, through grace, peace, love, and faith. God, the Son and Saviour of the world, through sacrifice and self-donation, is the redemptive love in action.
Yet, in Paul’s writings, the co-creative, redemptive and sanctifying work of the Trinity is evident. Thus, St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans teaches us that we have peace with God the Father through Jesus Christ and that the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
THE GOSPEL: JOHN. 16:12-15
The Revealed Truth and the Mystery of faith are understood through the Holy Spirit: our Sanctifier, Consoler and teacher through the fire of love, sanctifying and comforting love in action.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus, the Son of God, mentions the role of the Holy Spirit, His close relationship with God the Father, and what the Holy Spirit will do for us as we go about our daily tasks.
Therefore, God has revealed to us three separate functions that the three Persons carry out. He has told us that it is proper to attribute to God the Father, the work of creation; to God the Son, the work of Redemption, reconciliation and healing.
Equally, we are made to see the Holy Spirit`s work of guidance in truth, in the work of teaching and the work of sanctification. As Spirit, God remains with and within us as Paraclete: Guide, Advocate and Consoler.
THE UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF GOD
The Most Holy Trinity demonstrates the unity and diversity of God: a community of three distinct personalities yet one in nature and glory.
Aristotle’s famous saying, ” He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god,” does not apply to our Trinitarian God.
THE THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE TRINITARIAN GOD WE CELEBRATE TODAY ARE:
- In God, there is a living community or family of love, sharing and cooperating to bring about the creation, salvation and sanctification of the universe and humans.
- We are not strangers to community living; it is part of our pertinence to God.
- God in the community of persons is distinct, unique and singular. Yet bound together in eternal and inseparable love.
- There is an indivisible Unity, a bond of love. In God, there is a relationship, community and communication. We must try to be like or imitate them.
- There is equality of nature in the diversity of beingness.
- The unity in diversity of the Holy and Blessed Trinity is all-inclusive with exceptions.
- NO hierarchical structure in the Trinitarian God. The three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal in nature and existence.
- The hierarchical and clerical structure, if not in service of the Christian community, could breed many abuses.
- Unity in diversity and not uniformity in the Trinitarian Godhead. God the Father is not the Son or Spirit, nor is the Son the Father or Spirit. Equally, the Spirit is not the Son or the Father.
- The three Persons are distinctive in character but equally in nature and substance. There is individuality, but not individualism, in the Godhead.
- The Gospel and its evangelisation are a teamwork of witnessing to the Trinitarian God.
- The Christian formation and spirituality have no room for individualism or isolationism.
- Godhead is near to human nature and structure. Our Trinitarian God of grace, mercy and love is like the human family of father, mother and child, living in concord, harmony, and peace.
In a nutshell, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is a mystery of the inner relationship of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In a way, each person is fully and equally God: united in nature, Divinity and distinct Personality.
DIMENSIONS OF GODHEAD: CREATION, SALVATION AND SANCTIFICATION
Oh, Most Holy Trinity, we firmly believe that in the divine plan of all ages,
- God-Abba (Creator) of the universe.
- God the Son (Saviour) fulfils the plan of salvation.
- God Spirit (Sanctifier) purifies, guides and leads us to eternal life.
Glory to the Tri-Uno God—Father, Son, Spirit, forever and ever..
SAINT AUGUSTINE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
There is this ancient story of St. Augustine, one of the greatest theologians of the Church. He wanted to solve or understand fully the sacred mystery of the Godhead: of three distinctive Persons in One God – yet One in Nature, One in Glory and One in Majesty.
So, he went to the seashore to think and reflect on it. Meanwhile, a little boy made a little hole on the seashore and continually fetched the seawater into the little hole. Augustine became curious about the little boy and asked him what trying to do. The boy responded I want to empty the whole sea water into the tiny hole I have made.
Augustine laughed at the boy and told him, it is impossible! And the little boy responded in the same way, so too, you cannot comprehend the mystery of the Godhead. An immense mystery of the Faith.
Our Faith is reason-seeking understanding, yet the how? Or why? Scratching the surface of the mysteries of Faith is essential. Thus, the mystery of faith is not something we cannot understand completely. We can understand the mysteries of faith to the capacity of our human reason, according to the divine revelation.
Let us practice the I–God–my neighbour vertical and horizontal Trinitarian relationships by loving God and surrendering our lives to it.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, today, as we honour Father, Son and Spirit, let us seek to live these mysteries more profoundly in our faith. The Godhead of Three-in-One is a mystery of individuality, community and unity without individualism, division or dissension. May we learn that the Christian life and faith are one of deep unity and community. Amen
