Theme: The Holy Trinity is the model for our families.
Scriptures: Ex. 34:4-6, 8-9; Dan. 3:52-55; 2 Cor. 13:11-13; Jn. 3:16-18
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that the mystery of the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and life. God reveals himself in this mystery. It is a source of all the other mysteries of faith. It enlightens other Christian mysteries. It is the most fundamental or essential teaching of the Catholic Church. (cfr. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) no. 234). The Roman Catholic Church celebrates Trinity Sunday, on the Sunday after the Solemnity of the Pentecost. The Eastern Churches do not have a tradition to celebrate Trinity Sunday because they believe that every Sunday is Trinity Sunday. Some groups commemorate the Holy Trinity in every Eucharist.
While the Roman Catholic Church may celebrate the mystery of Holy Trinity on one Sunday, during the liturgical year, yet it is the most essential aspect of our Catholic faith and the Catholic way of life. We begin and end all our prayers, invoking the Holy Trinity, simply because we believe in the triune God. Even when the sacraments are administered invoking the Holy Trinity. In the Sacrament of Baptism, it is said, I baptized you in the name ….; (Sacrament of Penance) I absolve your sins in the name…; (Sacrament of anointing) through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit; (in the sacrament of matrimony, the couple tells each other)… receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity in the name…; (in the sacrament of Priesthood after the prayer of consecration, the bishop prays over the candidate) the Father anointed our Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the Christian people and to offer sacrifice to God.
We bless people and things in the name of the Holy Trinity. The Church bells are rung three times a day as a reminder of the Holy Trinity. This shows that the Catholic Church draws its life from the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
The doctrine on the Holy Trinity is taught to us right from our childhood. I remember when I was taught in the Sunday Catechism. There are “One God in three persons.” I did not understand what it meant but I accepted it as it was told by the Catechism teacher. Thereafter, I hardly found any explanation to the mystery of Holy Trinity until the time when I reached my seminary training. There was a subject dedicated to the Holy Trinity. I leant in it that the Mystery of Holy Trinity is well explained in the Nicene Creed. Unfortunately, in some parishes, we hardly recite Nicene Creed on Sundays or the days of Solemnities as we prefer to recite the Apostle’s Creed. I also learnt that there is detailed explanation about the Holy Trinity in the (CCC 232-267).
We can’t deal with the mystery of Holy Trinity during the Eucharistic celebration as it will take many hours for me to explain it. This is not the right time and place. Someone had rightly said that the more you speak about the Holy Trinity, the more you have chances to slip into heresy. Because we are dealing with the life of God which is beyond our human comprehension. We cannot reach the depths of God.
However, I would like to draw inspiration from the quote of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He said, “The human family is, in a certain sense, the icon of the Trinity because of the love between its members and the fruitfulness of that love.” He reflects on the life of the Holy Trinity. He invites us to reflect on the creation story. We are told that we are made in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:27). When God himself lived in communion, He thought of making man born in the family so that we may also live like Himself. Man is born in the family. Man learns to relate to God in the family. The family becomes the first school of faith. The Man also learns to love in the family.
Therefore, the Mystery of Holy Trinity invites us to imitate God in our families. The readings of today’s liturgy reveal the life of the Holy Trinity. Each of these aspects is our human comprehension of Omnipotent God.
The first reading from the book of Exodus tells us Moses went up the mountain of Sinai to meet the Lord. He knew the nature of God. He knew the qualities of God such as God is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, rich in kindness and fidelity. God who lived in communion with His Son and the Holy Spirit is merciful and kind. Each of them shows mercy to mankind. The Father sends His Son to show His mercy. The Son dies on the cross to show the love of His Father. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the love of the Father and the Son. St. Paul in the second reading, gives a Trinitarian blessing to the people of Corinthians. While giving his blessings, he invited the people to live like God. He gives all the suggestions, such as, be happy, grow perfect, help one another and be united. These attributes are seen in the life of the Holy Trinity. The Gospel text reveals the love of the Father. He is ready to surrender His Only Begotten Son for the creatures. The Son also loved his disciples to the end (Jn 13:1). It reveals that God continuously loves us.
The celebration of the mystery of Holy Trinity is an invitation to reflect on the life of the Holy Trinity. It is the central mystery on which our Christian life is based. Our God lives in communion with us. He is a model for our families. Let us imitate Holy Trinity in our Family life that our families may become the icon of the Holy Trinity.
