In the fourth century St Ephraem contemplating the mystery of the Blessed Trinity asked: “Who would give a name to something which itself doesn’t exist?” The Church father reinforced what we reflected on last Sunday: “What is the point of saying empty words?” God doesn’t say empty words. There is no difference between his words and truth. It is the same thing. When Jesus spoke of his Father he wasn’t speaking like an orphan who has never seen their parent and is imagining mum or dad. Jesus spoke with such “authority,” because he spoke of what he had known for himself. He spoke of his Father with such “authority” because he came from the Father. When Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit he also spoke with “authority” because he knew the Holy Spirit so well that he was certain that the Holy Spirit would love to descend on the young Church. He knew the mind of the Holy Spirit. Enlightened by the same Spirt the Church very soon picked up that God is not a lonely ranger but that the God who spoke to Moses, as we could hear in our First Reading, the God who “came with his people” Israel and who remained in their midst, the God revealed in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Most Blessed Trinity.
My Dear Sisters and Brothers! So many people speak about unity these days. So many people get furious at a certain politician who wants to build a wall but at the same time the same people build emotional, social and ideological walls to separate those who don’t share their views. What Christians offer to this discussion on the unity between individuals and nations is that such a unity can be only achieved in God. That’s why at the baptism and at the Easter Vigil when the baptismal promises are made or renewed we hear: “Do you believe in God, the Father almighty? … Do you believe in Jesus Christ? … Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?” Although “I do” is the correct answer, surrendering one’s life to God in trust and joy is the right attitude.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life.” However the mystery we celebrate this Sunday is also the key to the unity of humankind. The only unity which can be established is the unity in God. All the other forms of unity sooner or later will fall apart.
Eleven years ago Pope Benedict said: “Faith is the gift, given to us in Baptism, which makes our encounter with God possible. God is hidden in mystery; to claim to understand him would mean to want to confine him within our thinking and knowing and consequently to lose him irremediably. With faith, however, we can … “touch” the living God. And God once touched, immediately gives us power.” In the words of the great Pope I can hear an echo of the Church father, St Ephraem, who directed the contemplation on the mystery of the Trinity to the symbols of fire, light and warmth. In fire which always gives light he acknowledged the Father who gives his Son. In the fire and the light giving warmth he acknowledged the Father and the Son giving the Holy Spirt. As it is impossible to imagine fire and light without warmth as it is impossible to imagine the Father and the Son without the Holy Spirit.
My Dear Friends we may feel tempted to take shortcuts in our efforts to establish unity in our families, friendships, parishes, societies, nations etc. However the unity needs to resemble the dynamic of giving and self-giving as we heard in the Gospel: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son.” When God gave his Son to the world he ultimately responded to Moses’ request made on the holy mountains: “If I have indeed won your favour, Lord, said Moses – let the Lord come with us.” When Moses stood in the presence of the Almighty he forgot himself because his mind was filled with the images of the people gone astray. Moses was so penetrated by God that he resembled God’s approach. In the presence of God Moses was a petitioner on behalf of his fellow women and men.
As we continue building our faith communion with God and with each other let us be encouraged by the words of St Paul from the Second Reading who in the sin stricken community of believers in Corinth already saw the signs of God communion. Let us keep our gaze on the Trinity as we desire unity among ourselves.
“The grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
My Dear Sisters and Brothers! So many people speak about unity these days. So many people get furious at a certain politician who wants to build a wall but at the same time the same people build emotional, social and ideological walls to separate those who don’t share their views. What Christians offer to this discussion on the unity between individuals and nations is that such a unity can be only achieved in God. That’s why at the baptism and at the Easter Vigil when the baptismal promises are made or renewed we hear: “Do you believe in God, the Father almighty? … Do you believe in Jesus Christ? … Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?” Although “I do” is the correct answer, surrendering one’s life to God in trust and joy is the right attitude.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life.” However the mystery we celebrate this Sunday is also the key to the unity of humankind. The only unity which can be established is the unity in God. All the other forms of unity sooner or later will fall apart.
Eleven years ago Pope Benedict said: “Faith is the gift, given to us in Baptism, which makes our encounter with God possible. God is hidden in mystery; to claim to understand him would mean to want to confine him within our thinking and knowing and consequently to lose him irremediably. With faith, however, we can … “touch” the living God. And God once touched, immediately gives us power.” In the words of the great Pope I can hear an echo of the Church father, St Ephraem, who directed the contemplation on the mystery of the Trinity to the symbols of fire, light and warmth. In fire which always gives light he acknowledged the Father who gives his Son. In the fire and the light giving warmth he acknowledged the Father and the Son giving the Holy Spirt. As it is impossible to imagine fire and light without warmth as it is impossible to imagine the Father and the Son without the Holy Spirit.
My Dear Friends we may feel tempted to take shortcuts in our efforts to establish unity in our families, friendships, parishes, societies, nations etc. However the unity needs to resemble the dynamic of giving and self-giving as we heard in the Gospel: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son.” When God gave his Son to the world he ultimately responded to Moses’ request made on the holy mountains: “If I have indeed won your favour, Lord, said Moses – let the Lord come with us.” When Moses stood in the presence of the Almighty he forgot himself because his mind was filled with the images of the people gone astray. Moses was so penetrated by God that he resembled God’s approach. In the presence of God Moses was a petitioner on behalf of his fellow women and men.
As we continue building our faith communion with God and with each other let us be encouraged by the words of St Paul from the Second Reading who in the sin stricken community of believers in Corinth already saw the signs of God communion. Let us keep our gaze on the Trinity as we desire unity among ourselves.
“The grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
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