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Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.  The Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YouCat) describes the Trinity this way, “Christians do not worship three different Gods, but one single Being that is threefold and yet remains one.  We know that God is triune from Jesus Christ: He, the Son speaks about his Father in heaven.  He prays to him and sends us the Holy Spirit, who is the love of the Father and the Son.  That is why we are baptized ‘in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’” Mt. 28:19 – 20.  The mystery of the Holy Trinity cannot be explained, understood or solved. It is a mystery that is central to our faith that in the one God we encounter the three persons who are totally and completely one God and who relate to us as three persons, each in a distinct way.

Although we don’t find the term, “Trinity” in the Scriptures, the Trinity is seen throughout the scriptures beginning with the Creation account in Genesis when God (The Father) Creates by Speaking his words (Jesus is the Word), and the spirit hovered over the vastness and God breathed into man (the Spirit). In the First letter from John we heard a description of the Trinity.  John speaks of God’s love and how we are blessed by the Father, Son and Spirit.  Their love is the perfect love of the Trinity that is God’s love and embraces us and blesses us in different ways. The power of God’s love is the power to transform, strengthen and empower us to become more faithful followers of Christ, and witnesses in the love that we have for one another.

The Gospel takes place at the Ascension and gives us the final instruction of Jesus.  He clearly outlines the mission of the followers to “make disciples of all nations,” by Baptizing them.  He then gives the formula, familiar to all of us, of how to Baptize.  I am a Catholic today because these disciples took this command seriously and traveled throughout the known world preaching and Baptizing.  The message of Christ was passed on from generation to generation. Shortly after I was born my parents had me Baptized to share in their Faith.  I was born a citizen of the United States, and at Baptism became a citizen of Heaven.  It would be interesting to trace our Christian genealogy all the way back to the one who was present at that final instruction of Jesus. Imagine all who are part of our genealogy over that two thousand year period. There would be people of various nations and states of life all joined together by our Baptism into God’s family.

Through Baptism we are all united with God and one another.  The mystery of the Triune God fills us with the Love of the Father, the Peace of Christ, and the unity of the Holy Spirit.  We are united with God who draws us into His family, he is the loving Father, he is the Son our Brother who brings us Peace, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us.  In celebrating the Feast of the Holy Trinity it is a day for us not to get bogged down with trying to wrap our minds around an unsolvable mystery, rather let us allow the mystery of God wrap himself around our hearts and souls and fill us with a deeper experience and appreciation of God.  May the unity of God enter our lives to bring inner unity to anything within us that is in discord, as well as unity in the outward tensions we face.  The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a to behold with awe and to celebrate with joy.

Father Killian Loch, O.S.B.