Words of Spirit and Life

Theme: THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY IS THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S LOVE, MERCY AND FORGIVENESS

• Exodus 34:4-6. 8-9;
• Daniel 3:52-56. R. v. 52;
• 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
• John 3:16-18

1. Today we celebrate the feast of THE MOST HOLY TRINITY; three persons in one God, or better, one God in three persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! The mystery of the Trinity is the mystery of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness! The Father created the world out of love, the Son saved the world out of love, and the Holy Spirit continues to sanctify the world out of love!

    God created the world out of love, but when we sinned he loved us even more; he became man to save us; but when we killed him on the cross he loved us even more; he rose from the dead and gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to love us from inside us! He will continue to love us until we love him back, until we love one another, and until we love ourselves! Then will come the end of the world, that is, the end of the evil world, not the end of the physical world! Then will come the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to take us all into heaven! Again, the mystery of the Trinity is the mystery of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness!           

    A certain professor of a certain college in Sabah said that he did not believe in Christianity because Christianity believes that there are three Gods, and that God can become man, and that God can die, and that they can even eat God!

    That certain professor in effect said that he did not believe in a God of love. He did not believe that God created him out of love, God saved him out of love, and God continues to sanctify him out of love. In effect he said that he believed in a God of law. A God of law, justice and punishment, not a God of love, mercy and forgiveness! In effect he did not believe that God can save him! He believed that he can save himself by keeping the law!

    This is the Sin of pride! Pride is the greatest sin! Pride is the worst sin, worse than murder and adultery – remember the sins of King David! Pride is the Original Sin, and the Mother of all sins! According to tradition, the Devil himself fell from heaven because of pride, Adam and Eve fell also because of pride, and in the New Testament, the Jews, particularly the Pharisees, fell also because of pride!

    Just as pride is the greatest sin, humility is the greatest virtue! We have to be humble and confess that we cannot keep the law, that we are sinners, and most importantly, that God is love, mercy and forgiveness, and that God can forgive our sins and save us! We cannot save ourselves! Thus the formula of absolution in the sacrament of Penance: ….!        

2. The first reading tells us that God is kindness, compassion, graciousness, mercy, and love. The first reading tells us that God not only created us out of love, but he also gave us the law out of love, to help us to be good, to love and to be happy!

    Thus we read in the first reading: “The Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed, ‘Lord, Lord, a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness.’”! (Ex 34:6)

3. But when we broke the law and sinned against God he loved us even more! He became man to save us! Thus we read in the gospel (good news) today: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.”! (Jn 3:16-17)

    But again, the gospel also tells us that those who believe in a God of love as revealed by Jesus Christ will be saved, but those who do not believe in a God of love as revealed by Jesus Christ condemn themselves!

    Thus we read in the gospel today: “No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.’”! (Jn 3:18)   

4. But when we killed Jesus Christ on the cross he loved us even more! He rose from the dead and gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to love us from inside us! He will love us until we love him back, and until we love one another, and until we love ourselves! Then will come the end of the world, the end of the evil world, not the end of the physical world! Then will come the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to take all of us into heaven!

    The second reading tells us about the Holy Spirit! The second reading tells us about the Holy Spirit in relation to the Father and the Son! Just as the Father and the Son are love, mercy and forgiveness, so too the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of the Father and the Son, is also love, mercy, and forgiveness!    

    The second reading tells us that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ gives us the love of God the Father in the love of the Holy Spirit, and the love of the Holy Spirit unites us with God and with one another, so that we live in love and unity with God and with one another!

    Thus we read in the second reading: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”! (2 Co 13:13)

    This is more than a greeting! It is a benediction and a blessing! That is why we say it at the beginning of every Mass!

5. The responsorial psalm is a hymn of praise and blessing to God who loves us in the mystery of the Trinity! Thus we read in the first stanza of the responsorial psalm: “You are blest, Lord God of our fathers. To you glory and praise for evermore. Blest your glorious holy name. To you glory and praise for evermore.”! (Dn 3:52) And thus the response of the responsorial psalm: “To you glory and praise for evermore.”! (Dn 3:52)

    The responsorial psalm is taken from the book of Daniel. It is the hymn of blessing and praise to God by the three young men thrown into the burning fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon for refusing to worship the golden statue!

6. Today in the Eucharist, we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we eat his body and drink his blood, and the risen Lord will give us His Holy Spirit of love; and His Holy Spirit of love will unite us with God and with one another, so that we will live in love and unity with God and with one another! A happy Trinity Sunday to all of you and a happy week to all of you!

Amen!