Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (B)

Deut 4:32-34; 39-40; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:19; Jn 10:30

A little boy stops in front of a church with his bike and he sees the priest come out. The priest says “Come inside, I want to show you something”. The little boy says to the priest, “But somebody will steal my bike”. The priest says to him “Don't worry, the Holy Spirit will watch it”.

So the little boy goes inside and the priest says, “Let me show you how to do the sign of the cross. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Now you try it”.

So the boy says, “In the name of the Father and the Son, Amen”.

The priest says, “What happened to the Holy Spirit?”

The boy replied “He's outside, watching my bike”.

(The story is told by an unknown author)

Today is the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. One God, three persons. This is not easy to understand. Is this for real or is this merely a product of an ancient theologian's imagination? Where is this doctrine coming from in the first place?

The word “Trinity” is nowhere to be found in the Bible, but its doctrine is mentioned in the New Testament at least 40 times. For example, the gospel narrates that God the Father sent an angel to a young woman named Mary, to inform her that God the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and that God the Son would be conceived in her womb (Lk 1:26-38). Then, during the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is shown descending on the Son like a dove and the voice of the Father in heaven is heard (Mt 3:16-17).

This Sunday's liturgy provides more biblical foundations of the doctrine of the Trinity. In the first reading, Moses describes God as one who shows fatherly concern for the people of Israel and who sets an example for us to emulate (Deut 4:32-34; 39-40). Saint Paul, in the second reading, explains the role of the Holy Spirit in making us adopted children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus (Rom 8:14-17). Then, in the gospel, Jesus himself speaks about the Trinitarian God when he commissions the disciples saying: “Go to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit …” (Mt 28:19).

How did we come to the knowledge that there are three divine persons sharing the same divine nature in one God? Why not just say there are three Gods? This is what we know from the gospels: Jesus himself declares that He and the Father are one (Jn 10:30). To Philip he says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father . . . I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (Jn 14:9-11). Then, the Lord also says that He and the Father would send the Holy Spirit to witness on His behalf (Jn 15:26).

The oldest doctrinal formulation of the Church's belief in the Trinity is found in the Apostle's Creed which has served as the basis for Christian catechism since the second century. The Church teaches that the Father is the creator of all things, the Son is the savior of humankind, and the Holy Spirit is the sanctifier of the people.

What is the significance of celebrating the solemnity of the Trinity?

First of all, the feast reminds us that we are created in the image and likeness of God who is Triune. It is natural for a parent to take pride of a child who manifests his or her remarkable qualities. In the same manner, God would certainly be pleased if we show in our life the image and likeness of the Trinity. Like God the Father, we are called upon to be creative and productive so as to contribute towards the building up of a free, just, honest and loving society. Like God the Son, we are challenged to lead in bringing about dialogue and understanding, reconciliation and forgiveness, justice and peace, health and life to people. And like God the Holy Spirit, we are tasked to witness to the truth, to give light to those in darkness, and to provide hope and inspiration to the poor and the weak.

Moreover, the feast inspires us to make the Holy Trinity the model of family and community life. In the Trinity, there is mutual respect and great affection for one another. Just as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are united in love, we are also called upon to respect the dignity of every person and to work seriously for the well-being of one another. If we can do this, peace and security would reign in our families and communities. While failure to do so would bring about chaos and so much suffering.