The Father, the Son and Holy Spirit

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Jn 16: 12 – 15

Introduction

            Today is Trinity Sunday. We celebrate this feast of God, as we know him to be; as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The life of God is one of communion but most of all, it is one of love because God is love.

The Gospel

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus speaking to his disciples about how much more he wanted to tell them. He then refrains from doing so, knowing quite well that it would have been too much for his disciples to bear. Jesus says: “ I have much more to tell you but you cannot bear it now. “ Jesus knows our limitations. The human mind and the human heart have their own limits and tolerance level and Jesus is well aware of this.

Not bothered at all with such human limitations, Jesus assures them nonetheless that all the truths that he wanted to say and tell his disciples will be said in time. And how will this be possible? Jesus now speaks of the Spirit. He says: “ But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears and will declare to you the things that are coming. “

For Jesus, the Spirit comes as the guide for his disciples. Jesus was bidding them farewell and was to go back to the Father through his ascension into heaven. Though not present in bodily form, Jesus is and will always be present with his disciples through his Spirit. And just like Jesus who doesn’t speak on his own, the Spirit will also speak of the things that he hears from Jesus.

Jesus says: “ He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

Then Jesus speaks of the Father, saying: “ Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”  This last statement faintly describes to us the extent of the communion and unity between the three persons in this Godhead. There is but one God who has revealed himself as Father, Son and Spirit. This revelation of who God is gives us a glimpse of his identity and the inner workings of his being but who remains unfathomable yet so tender and close to humanity.

Reflection

In the Old Testament, in the book of Exodus, we hear Moses asking God: “ Who are you?” God answers him, “ I am who am.” While God’s answer may not have completely clarified Moses’ inquiry, God gives another answer to Moses’ question, saying: “ I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

The two answers that God gave Moses somehow give us a faint clue on who this God is. First, in saying that he is “ I am who am” God somehow tells us that he is the being that causes other beings to be. He is the source of life and of all things. His second identity, that of being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, gives us a better glimpse of this God. He is one God who relates to our humanity – represented by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is not one who is far away and has nothing to do with the world but relates, ties and binds himself with humanity through a covenant.

Then came Jesus. God who has been present before anything else existed, came down, took human flesh and dwelt among us. In Jesus, God acquired a human face. In becoming man in Jesus, God has united himself intimately to our humanity, carrying all the burdens that we have known as human beings except the burden of sin. Jesus was God with us, Emmanuel who dwells with us and is one of us. In Jesus, we will never walk alone on this earth because he has tied himself up with us, to be with us at all times. He came to redeem us all by giving his own life. Out of his great love, he gave us once more the power to become sons and daughters of God and look to heaven as our destined home with him.

But when Jesus rose again to new life, he had to go back to the Father. In ascending into heaven, back to the bosom of the Father, Jesus sends his Spirit as a pledge of his presence among us. Jesus leads us through his Spirit; he guides and strengthens us through the Spirit. It is his Spirit that enlightens us, gives us courage when afraid, heals, consoles and strengthens us in our weakness. It is Jesus, alive in his Spirit who affirms our affiliation as sons and daughters of God, allowing us to call God, Father!

In all these, we get a picture of the one we call God. While remaining still unfathomable, God remains as one who is pure love. God is love. Because he is love, we can be assured that we are loved by him in a way that only God can because we are infinitely loved!

The certainty that we are loved by God who is love, must make us re-evaluate how we look at ourselves and our fellowmen. There is no sin that will take us away from this love; no failures, no imperfections and limitations will separate us from the love of God that is in us through Jesus. No human being, no matter how evil and despicable, will ever be separated from this love.

We are in the habit of loving those who love us and selectively liking  those that we like. God, instead loves all; the good and the bad; the high and the mighty; the clever and the dumb.

God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to redeem the world that the world may have life and have this life to the full! In celebrating this day, the day of God, who has revealed himself as Father, Son and Spirit, we celebrate our creator who has loved and sustained us all through the days of our lives.

Prayer

Glory to you Father, creator of everything,

Glory to you Jesus, Son of the Father, redeemer of mankind,

Glory to you Holy Spirit, life giver, teacher and advocate,

We worship, praise, bless and thank you for loving us with an everlasting love. Amen.

^“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”   - 2 Cor 13:13