Trinity Sunday
This weekend we celebrate Trinity Sunday which is all about the triune god Father, son and Holy Spirit. When my Father was alive he often had a small tin of oil in the tool box he used which was called three in one oil when I was thinking about a definition of the Holy Trinity it came to mind however the trinity is about three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. St Patrick, with a brilliance that we Irish are justly celebrate found in the three leaf shamrock rising from the one stem an image of the Trinity which is still used today. The feast of the Trinity goes back to 12th century England and St Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Historians say the great Thomas celebrated a Liturgy in honor of the Trinity in his cathedral. So was born the observance. In the 14th century, the feast came to be observed by the universal Church. One week after the end of the Easter season, in which we gave thanks for the saving death and resurrection of Jesus, and the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, this feast of the Holy Trinity invites us to contemplate the mystery of God. Paul in the Letter to the Romans reminds us that the Spirit of God makes us God’s children, destined to share in the life of God, as Christ does.
Through the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts we become aware of the love and strength of the living God available to us both now and in the life to come. In the First Reading from Deuteronomy Moses urges reflection on God’s unique acts for Israel: speaking from fire, choosing them miraculously, and showing unmatched power. He emphasizes that the Lord is the only God and calls for obedience to ensure prosperity. The Second Reading from Romans tells us As God’s children, led by His Spirit, we are freed from fear, adopted, and can call Him “Father”. This Spirit affirms our divine inheritance with Christ, linking suffering with shared glory. In the Gospel reading Matthew tells us that On a Galilean mountain, the eleven disciples met Jesus as instructed. Despite some doubts, they worshipped Him. Jesus declared His divine authority and commanded them to make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach His commands, assuring His continual presence until the end of time. The gospel reading speaks of power: the power of presence and the power of the name. Ancient people placed great weight in presence; the way someone dressed and acted spoke of social power. Ancient people also chose names carefully; they believed a person’s name defined their strength of character. Both outward presence and inward character are part of the disciples’ experience.
When the followers saw the resurrected Lord and heard his command to evangelize the entire world, they saw for themselves the Trinity in action. When we live as followers of Christ, we invite others to join us not because they see nice people living good lives. No, they, too, see the Trinity in action as God, Father, Son and Spirit work through us. Each Trinity Sunday, we only scratch the surface of this great mystery of our faith. In gratitude and faith, let us begin and end every prayer with greater reverence “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Fullerton T 