Words of Spirit and Life

Proverbs 8:22-31; Psalm 8: 4-9. R/ v. 2; Romans 5: 1-5

John 16:12-15

Theme: THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY IS THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S

 LOVE FOR US

1. Today we celebrate the feast of THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. To begin with, the mystery of the Trinity is the mystery of God’s love for us! God created the world out of love, but when we sinned, God loved us even more; he became man to save us! But when we put him to death on the cross, he loved us even more; he rose from the dead and gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell with us and within us.

    The Holy Spirit loves us from inside us and within us. The Holy Spirit does not love us from heaven nor from earth, but from inside us and within us! The Holy Spirit will love us until we love him back and until we love one another and until we love ourselves. Then it will be the end of the world, that is, the end of the evil world, the Parousia, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ!   

    The mystery of the Trinity, three persons in one God, means one God in three persons, God the Father creates, God the Son saves, and God the Holy Spirit sanctifies! The Trinity is not a mathematical, philosophical or theological puzzle to be solved. It is a mystery to be believed in, in faith. The question is, do you believe in a God of law, justice, punishment and damnation, or do you believe in a God of love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation! We believe in a God of love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation! We believe in THE MOST HOLY TRINITY!

2. The gospel today tells us of the mystery of the Trinity, three persons in one God, that is, one God in three persons. The gospel today tells us of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The gospel tells us that God the Holy Spirit reveals God the Son, and God the Son reveals God the Father! Three in one and one in three! “This is one of the clearest passages in the gospel about God as Trinity in unity.” (IBC) Thus we read in the gospel today:

    “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘He (the Spirit) will glorify me since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.’” (Jn 16:14-15)              

3. The first reading tells us of God the Father and God the Son (Wisdom; CSB). The first reading tells us that when God the Father created the universe, God the Son already existed. But more importantly, the first reading tells us that God the Son was the “master craftsman” (SM), the “designer” (CCB), the “architect” (GNB), the “master worker” (HCSB), the “plan” (CSB) of creation!

    Everything was created through him, with him, in him, and for him! Everything comes from him and goes back to him! He is the Alpha and the Omega! The universe is not a scientific accident, but the universe has a plan, a purpose, a meaning and a direction! Thus we read in the first reading:

    “The Wisdom of God cries aloud: ‘When he laid down the foundations of the earth, I was by his side, a master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence.’” (Pr 8:29-30; SM)     

4. The responsorial psalm follows the theme of the first reading. The responsorial psalm is a hymn of praise to God the creator, particularly, for creating man to be the crown of creation and to be the stewards of creation! (NJBC; HCSB) Thus the response of the responsorial psalm:

    “How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!” (Ps 8:2; SM)

    The responsorial psalm has three stanzas. The first stanza tells us that God created the universe, “the moon and the stars”, the hundred billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, and the hundred billion galaxies of stars in the universe! Stars are far away suns and the Sun is a nearby star! (Ps 8:4-5; SM)

    More importantly, the second and third stanzas tell us that God created human beings to be the crown of creation, and to be the stewards of creation to love and care for creation! (Ps 8:6-9; SM)        

5. Finally, the second reading also tells us of The Most Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The second reading tells us that we go to God the Father, through God the Son, in God the Holy Spirit. That is why we pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. That is why today in the Eucharist we pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit.

    We pray that the Lord may help us to be his co-creators to protect the environment. We pray that the Lord may help us build Christian Communities of love and unity modeled after the Trinity. And we pray that the Lord may help us to proclaim the Good News of love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation!  

                                                                                                                                    Amen!

Fr. Nicholas Ong, Holy Trinity Church, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

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