Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity
June 7, 2009 (Mt 28:16-20)
June 7, 2009 (Mt 28:16-20)
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
The doctrine of the Holy Trinity states that there is one God who manifested Himself to be Trinitarian. Hence we have one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This mystery has been revealed to us by Christ, but it has been an object of discussion and debate for many centuries.
This doctrine is not that easy to understand. The human mind cannot completely fathom it in it's fullness. Nevertheless, we believe in what has been revealed to us by God and in the authorized interpretation of the Church. We are the new Israel to which God reveals Himself. It is written in our First Reading today, "Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?" (Dt 4:32-33).
As God let His voice be heard by all Israel in the days of old, God let his voice be heard in the Baptism of Jesus, and let the people have a glimpse of the mystery of His being. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were revealed at that moment.
As Catholics, we believe that the three divine Persons are one, united in a bond of love, which is the Spirit of God. This is how we can say that God is love (1 Jn 4:8).
In the Gospel today, we hear Jesus telling His disciples to make all nations His disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Trinitarian God. In this commission, Jesus is telling us to unite all peoples in faith and in love. Jesus wishes that all His disciples be one as He and the Father are one (Jn 17:11). The Father wills that all things in heaven and on earth be summed up in Christ (Eph 1:9-10). The Church prays for unity through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is our One God, and it is His will for us to be one like Him.
May we always work for the unity of all Christians, and for the unity of all men regardless of color or creed. Our God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34) and neither should we. Discrimination and partiality further widens the gap between people, and this is not God's will. We need to see every person as our brother or sister in God, even if they are not Catholics, even if they are not Christians. It is God's will for us to be one people with one God of Love.
This doctrine is not that easy to understand. The human mind cannot completely fathom it in it's fullness. Nevertheless, we believe in what has been revealed to us by God and in the authorized interpretation of the Church. We are the new Israel to which God reveals Himself. It is written in our First Reading today, "Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?" (Dt 4:32-33).
As God let His voice be heard by all Israel in the days of old, God let his voice be heard in the Baptism of Jesus, and let the people have a glimpse of the mystery of His being. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were revealed at that moment.
As Catholics, we believe that the three divine Persons are one, united in a bond of love, which is the Spirit of God. This is how we can say that God is love (1 Jn 4:8).
In the Gospel today, we hear Jesus telling His disciples to make all nations His disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Trinitarian God. In this commission, Jesus is telling us to unite all peoples in faith and in love. Jesus wishes that all His disciples be one as He and the Father are one (Jn 17:11). The Father wills that all things in heaven and on earth be summed up in Christ (Eph 1:9-10). The Church prays for unity through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is our One God, and it is His will for us to be one like Him.
May we always work for the unity of all Christians, and for the unity of all men regardless of color or creed. Our God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34) and neither should we. Discrimination and partiality further widens the gap between people, and this is not God's will. We need to see every person as our brother or sister in God, even if they are not Catholics, even if they are not Christians. It is God's will for us to be one people with one God of Love.
Sancte Trinitas Unus Dei, miserere nobis!
ReplyDeleteSuperb! Happy feast of the Holy Trinity!
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