Today is the Holy Trinity Sunday. As an Augustinian Friar, I would like to share this important doctrine of our belief according to the teaching of St. Augustine, who is one of the Church Fathers of Western Christianity. He wrote the book entitled, De Trinitite. The purpose of writing that book is to rectify the heretical teachings on the Trinity that were prevalent during his time. He uses the concept of love to explain the Trinity. He said there are three Persons sharing equal greatness and cannot be separated because they are ONE. The three persons are not indivisible for they act as one. When we speak of love there is only the whole power of love: the Person that loves, the Person who is loved and the Person who acts of love. St. Augustine wrote, “the Trinity does not work indivisibly, but the Father does some things, the Son other things, and the Holy Spirit yet others: or else, if they do some things together, some severally, then the Trinity is not indivisible.” De Trinitate 8:10
Sometimes people fret about other concerns to fill their minds and not simply opening our hearts to a deeper relationship with God who is love. When we celebrate this solemnity of the Holy Trinity, what we can do is simply think that we enter into a relationship with each Person in the Trinity.
The first reading taken from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans reminds us of the great doxology of St. Paul, “Quoniam ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt omnia: ipsi gloria in seacula. Amen.” (For of Him, and by Him, and in Him, are all things: to Him be glory forever. v.36) What does this verse tell us? It means that God is the author of everything; He is the source of All things. God is also the sustainer of All things for He alone understands the purpose for everything that He created. All things come through Him, all knowledge, all wisdom, everything we have comes “through Him.” God is the passageway, and everything goes through Him. Thus, there is nothing in all creation that is not of God’s design for everything finds its ultimate purpose in Him, who divinely presents Himself through the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirits working as ONE, a visible God residing in us.
The readings today, including the gospel from St. Matthew, reveal the teaching of the Church on the Trinity as our dogma. I believe that even in the totality of the scriptures they are implicitly revealed. Our source of faith is not “sola scriptura,” but we look into other sources like the teaching of the Church Magisterium, Fathers of the Church and Theologians from the beginning of the Church’s existence up to the present.
When the disciples proceeded to the mountain in Galilee, they worshiped and still doubted according to the gospel text. However, Jesus being aware of the situation, has given them a blessing before sending them out into the world. He says, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” (vv.17-19)
Let me point out striking points of the gospel we heard today:
First, Jesus has commissioned them to go out and baptize all in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This is an instruction from Jesus that all people would be baptized in the Trinitarian formula. This commissioning must be observed by all of us to go out and do our part to accomplish our shared mission for the Church. We are commanded to observe His laws and commandment of love, “teaching them all that I have commanded you.”
Second, Jesus’ instruction to baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit made us aware that the baptism includes everyone, young and adults, slaves or free, rich or poor, with no race distinction. The word, “Them”, means all. Jesus did not say, baptize only the adult. It means “All” which includes all members of the household.
Third, Jesus says, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of time.” His perpetual presence is crucial in our lives as we all cooperate with the Holy Spirit to continue His mission. Jesus, who has been raised by the Father from the dead, has been fully alive and lives with us in another form, which is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He makes us remember and understand the way the Lord taught His disciples. What Jesus taught us benefits us to attain and live on earth in reverent loving relationships with each other.
Therefore, the three Persons of the Holy Trinity is a relationship which we are commanded to observe. The work, service, and love we do to others are truly gifts we have been given which is the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Every work is indeed the masterpiece of the goodness of God and our own goodness, which reveals the identity of the creator. The outcome of our work as created and the perseverance to fulfill it ultimately reveals the creator’s heart. The created work and the love we put into our works, all together is the sharing of that love.
The Trinity of God is definitely a mystery, and sometimes we struggle to understand this concept. Let us remember that we are God’s creation, and we cannot create ourselves; thus the immensity of creation is God’s and not ours.
Pope Frances has this to say to us, “Thinking that God is love does us so much good, because it teaches us to love, to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself to us and walks with us. Jesus walks beside us on the road through life.” (Trinity Sunday Homily). The Holy Trinity is a great comfort while being simultaneously accessible and hard to truly understand. May this reflection give you a clearer insight.
May the Triune God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
