Trinity Sunday Reflection

Blessed be Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Reflection of reading for Trinity Sunday
Deuteronomy 4:32-34; 39-40; Psalm 33; Romans 8:14-17; Matthew 28:16-20

The Feast of the Trinity, the belief that there are three distinct manifestations of the One God, is one of the most difficult for many to understand and believe. In scripture, we find many references to the three manifestations or persons of God. Jesus, in Matthew 28 tells the disciples “Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” In Romans we read “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” I am not going to go into the scholarly dissertations that have been made through the ages. St. Patrick used the shamrock to define the trinity, others have used the qualities of (water, liquid, solid, gas) to show how one thing can have three distinct qualities. Most of us who believe accept the fact of the Trinity.
I do want to reflect on how we relate to the Trinity. There is only One God, the God who is the creator of all things. The God who asks only that we recognize Him and only Him is the same God who gave to Moses the rules of life for all to follow, the commandments. When the commandments are examined, with intelligence, they make logical sense as an intelligent way to lead ones life. If we follow them, we will not only honor God, but we will also live lives that respect the dignity and individuality of all humanity. Christ in Matthew 28 says “Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth. Teach them to observe all the Commands I gave you and know that I am with you always; yes, until the end of the earth”. In order to show His unending love for all His children, Almighty God sent himself in the human form of Jesus to not only clearly demonstrate that a human could live according to the Commandments, but to simplify them by clarifying how simple it is to give honor and glory to God. “Love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind, soul and being and Love your neighbor as yourself”.
The reading from Romans 8:14 states “Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God” and it concludes with “If we are children, we are heirs as well; heirs of God, heirs with Christ”
The Holy Spirit, the third person or persona of Almighty God is often referred to as “ENLIGHTENER, COUNCELOR, COMFORTOR. In Baptism we, as Jesus himself was by John at the Jordan river, are baptized with water and the Spirit. This means that just as the spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove, we also receive the spirit and with it the gifts of the Spirit which are, “Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord and the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. These gifts and fruits are strengthened and supposedly deepened within us through prayer, and the Eucharist and each day we live as Jesus taught us.
If, however, we choose to ignore God’s desires for us; succumbing to greed, sexual promiscuity, discrimination, disregard for the poor and needy, selfishness, and anger; we separate ourselves from God and the Gifts of the Spirit.
In other words, if we believe and accept Christ as our redeemer and savior, and if we follow the commandments of God and clarified by Christ, we then will gain everlasting life in the spirit when our time in our mortal bodies is over. We need to be ever vigilant, opening ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit into our life, listening to what our hearts are telling us and discern if it conforms to what Christ has bid us do. If we do this we will indeed become one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AMEN
Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus
Email: Mission_St_Sergius@msn.com
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