Dt 4:32-34, 39-40
Rom 8:14-17
Mt 28:16-20

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Although this feast is one of the greatest and most profound mysteries of our faith, it is difficult to understand and make it active in our lives. We are taught that there are three persons in one God. Every time we make the sign of the cross we honor our Trinitarian God. Every time a child or adult is baptized, she or he is marked with holy oil in the name of the Trinity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “by sending [God’s] only Son and the Spirit of Love in the fullness of time, God has revealed [God’s] innermost secret: God [own self] is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and [God] has destined us to share in that exchange” (no. 221).

The Trinity teaches us that God is relationship. The Trinity reflects that God is love, and so we love. God is love and unity, so we strive for the same. Think of the most satisfying moments in your life. They may have been when you felt safe and loved. It may have been when you sat in your mother’s lap, or when you were held or hugged. It may have been when you were affirmed, or in the presence of someone you love. Relationship is what God is all about: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is no wonder that we, who are created in God’s image and likeness, are also essentially about relationships.

We may not fully comprehend this mystery of the Trinity, but rather, we are called through baptism to imitate the loving union of our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. We need to remind ourselves that not only is God the Creator of our world but that God so totally loves us that God sent His only Son to draw us into His presence. The Son loves us so much that he gave his life for us so that we live life fully. The Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to be God’s presence working on earth. With the Holy Spirit around, no one is ever alone. God, through the Holy Spirit, is always with us. 

St Augustine says of the Trinity, “The Father is the lover. The Son is the loved one. And the Holy Spirit is the love they send forth.” 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all our deeds, that is, all our thought, words and actions each day were done because of our deep, intimate relationship with our Triune God? There would be no mystery as to why we act the way we do. It would be clear that God is the center of our lives. 

It’s no mystery to know that a deep relationship with God takes work. It takes time for personal and communal prayer. It takes times for scripture and reflection. It takes time to put that relationship into practice on a daily basis. It takes faith to believe that our Trinitarian God truly loves us and is present to us. 

How can you become more aware of the Trinity in your life?

In what ways do your words and actions show love as your motivation for living life fully?