Today we gather to celebrate Trinity Sunday, a day set aside to contemplate the mysterious and profound nature of God as Holy Trinity – the belief in one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity distinguishes us from all other religions. It describes who we are and what we believe about God. A doctrine so essential that it led to the confession of faith known as the Athanasian Creed – one of the 3 ecumenical creeds used by the Christian Churches which begins –
Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith. Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally. Now this is the catholic faith: That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity, neither blending their persons nor dividing their essence.
This doctrine is central to the Christian faith and is a mystery that has been pondered and debated for centuries.
And it ends, as it began – This is the catholic faith: one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.
The Trinity has been the cause of well-meaning faithful Christians being declared heretics because instead of accepting the teaching of the Holy Trinity they wanted to debate and explain what is a hidden mystery. The Trinity is a reminder of the complexity and richness of our God. It teaches us that God is not a solitary being, but a loving community of three distinct persons who exist in perfect unity. And that God invites us into that community to experience the perfect unity of love. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are inseparable, equal, and eternally coexistent. They are distinct in their roles, yet united in their purpose.
It is also the source of our comfort as Paul points out in our second reading: When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
Paul reminds us that because Jesus is the Son of God he is heir to the Father’s kingdom and that through our Baptism we are Children of God and therefore we are joint heirs with Jesus. And Jesus therefore comforts us by saying – I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. We are safe and secure in the hands of our Lord in the Trinity of love. As he says in the parable of the Good Shepherd, Jesus has put a fence around us and he is the gate – the only way in – protecting us from our enemy.
As we reflect on the Trinity, we are reminded of the depth of God’s love for us. The Father, in His infinite wisdom and power, created the world and all that is in it. He was there at the beginning of Creation – as we confess – I believe in God the Father almighty – maker of heaven and earth. The Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth to take away our sin and to show us the way to the Father. He too was there at the beginning – as John tells us in his opening chapter: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. The word that created – let there be light. And the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, dwells within us, guiding us, empowering us, and comforting us who was also there at the beginning of creation: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The Holy Spirit brought order out of chaos – which is what he still does today in the world and in our lives.
The Trinity also teaches us about community and relationship. Just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in perfect communion, so too are we called to live in unity with one another. We are created for relationships – with God and with our fellow human beings. We are called to love one another, to bear one another’s burdens, and to seek reconciliation and peace. That’s why Jesus said we can’t separate – loving God and loving our neighbour.
Trinity Sunday is a time for us to embrace the mystery of God’s nature and his majesty and greatness as did Isaiah who saw the presence of God that shook the pivots of the temple. God wants to shake the pivots of our world, our churches and our lives by his amazing love. It is a day to reaffirm our faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and to recommit ourselves to following their example of love, unity, and service.
The Trinity has puzzled theologians for centuries, and that’s okay if it confuses us because God is beyond our full comprehension. Sometimes the best things for us are kept as mystery. It’s actually comforting that we can’t confine God into a neat little box with a perfect explanation. But that doesn’t mean we can’t experience the fulness of God’s love and live in relationship with God.
The Trinity is our understanding of God’s love – a love that is not only singular but relational, a love that flows within itself, a love that eternally gives and receives. God loves each of us individually but he also loves us as a fellowship because we are all created in his image. The Father, the creator and source of all. The Son, Jesus Christ, who embodies God’s love in human form. The Holy Spirit, the comforter, the guide, the ever-present reality of God in our lives. Three distinct persons, yet one God, bound by a love that goes, as St. Paul says, beyond our understanding and definition.
The mystery of the Trinity is to be lived in our own relationships. We are called to love one another as God loves us – with a love that is creative, sacrificial, and ever-present. We are called to be creators, building bridges of understanding and compassion in a world sadly divided. Remember what Jesus said after his resurrection – we are witnesses of God’s love and reconciliation through repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are called to be like Christ, offering love and forgiveness even and especially when it’s difficult.
Just like the mystery of the Trinity, our love should be just as much a mystery to the world around us as we love our enemies – as we forgive those who hurt us – as we turn the other cheek – as we go and do likewise as the Good Samaritan. We are called to be open to the Holy Spirit, allowing God’s guidance to shape our actions and words. The Trinity reminds us that we are not meant to live in isolation. We are created for relationship – with God and with each other.
So, on this Trinity Sunday, let us move beyond simply pondering the mystery. Let us embrace the love that flows from the Father, through the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. As much as people will question why we place such importance on the Holy Trinity when the word Trinity doesn’t even appear in the Bible – the Trinity is essential to know and to understand God’s love for us. Why? Because everything God does for us extends from his Holy Name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We begin – in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We receive forgiveness – – in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We are baptised – – in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We go forth from here empowered by the Holy Trinity, to share the love of God with all we meet.
