Homily (Reflection) for the Solemnity of
the Most Holy Trinity (B) (27th May, 2018) on the Gospel and the Solemnity
Deut 4:32-34.39-40;
Ps 33:4-6.9.18-20.22 (R. V. 12);
Rom 8:14-17;
Matt
28:16-20.
There was a family hosting an
eleven-year-old girl from India. “The Hindu girl decided on her own to go with
the family to Sunday Mass. When they came home, the husband asked the girl how
she liked the Mass. “I don’t understand why the West Coast isn’t included,
too,” the girl replied. When they inquired what she meant, she said, “You know,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the whole East Coast”
(Fuller, G. (2010). Stories for all
seasons. Mumbai: St Pauls, p. 75). This reminds me of a similar story about
a Muslim caught by some aggrieved Christians during one of religious clashes in
the Northern part of the country. When asked whether he was a Muslim or a
Christian he said he was a Christian. Since one’s religion is not written on
the forehead, he was asked to complete the statement: “In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the ....” The Muslim shouted “kai, yeewaa!, this na small one.... of him
mama.”.
Topic: Manifestations of the Trinity.
In the Old Testament, the image of God
the Father is more prominent than that of God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
This does not imply that either God the Son or God the Holy Spirit or both are
not in the Old Testament as attested by these statements: “... the Spirit of
God was moving over the face of the waters” (Gen 1:2), “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness ...’” (Gen 1:26). Again, in
the prophet Hosea we read: “... out of Egypt I called my son” (Hos 11:1). Although this statement
looks as if referring just to Israel but the gospel according to Saint Matthew
states that it also refers to Christ,
cf. Matt 2:15. And many other passages also made mention of the “Spirit of
God” cf. Gen 41:38; Ex 31:3; Num 24:2,
among others.
The image of God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are better seen
in the New Testament. Beginning with the angel’s message to the Blessed Virgin
Mary “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to
be born will be called holy, the Son of God” (Lk 1:35). And the gospel according to Saint Mark also reads: “The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God” (Mk 1:1). According
to Saint John, the essence of his gospel is for us to “believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God” (Jn 20:30-31).
Although the first letter of Saint John states that all must believe in this
testimony (cf. 1Jn 5:10; Jn 3:18)
but the Jews saw the whole idea of Jesus being the Son of God as a very bitter
kola to chew and was their major reason why Jesus deserved to die, cf. Jn 19:7. Even the unclean spirits
proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God, cf. Mk 3:11; Lk 4:41. And
the equality of Jesus and his Father is not in doubt: “I and the Father are
one” (Jn 10:30).
Before leaving this world, Jesus promised his disciples the Holy
Spirit, cf. Jn 16:7 and fulfilled
this promise on the Pentecost day as we celebrated last Sunday, cf. Acts 2:1-4. The Father sent his Son
into the world “as the Saviour of the world” (1Jn 4:14; 4:10) and also testified for Him in these words: “This is
my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” (Lk
9:35). And Jesus made the Father known in the world, cf. Jn 1:18; 17:26. And again, of the Holy
Spirit, Jesus said: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my
behalf” (Jn 15:26). Just as Jesus
made known to us what he learnt from the Father, (cf. Jn 15:15), the Holy Spirit said Jesus “... will guide you into all
the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he
will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (Jn 16:13).
Bearing in mind what happened to Saint Augustine as he tried
to crack the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, it is important to note that “I
do not intend to give a lecture on the Most Holy Trinity”. Just as our topic
suggests, our aim is to first see some of the manifestations of the Most Holy
Trinity in the bible and secondly apply them to our lives.
We read from the prophet Daniel: “The king said to Daniel, ‘Truly,
your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this
mystery’” (Dan 2:47). Although the
mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is central to the Christian faith yet it
cannot be fully understood. Hence, it is rightly called a mystery. It is God
Himself who reveals mysteries including the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity
according to his will, cf. Matt 11:27;
Lk 10:22; Gal 1:16.
We are created by the Most Holy Trinity and in the likeness of the
Most Holy Trinity (Gen 1:26; 5:1).
And in today’s gospel we read: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit” (Matt 28:19). As we can see
in this passage, we are also called by and baptized in the Most Holy Trinity.
Hence as introduction to today’s solemnity we read from The Sunday Missal: “We
celebrate our baptism in the name of the Trinity as a result of which we have
received the spirit of sons and are privileged to call the great God of glory
and majesty our Father” (Culled from The Sunday Missal: A new edition
(1995). London: HarperCollinsReligious, p. 573).
So, although we neither fully understand nor explain the Most Holy
Trinity, we owe our existence to this mystery (greatest) of all the mysteries
because it is the mystery of God Himself. And quoting our penny
catechism, our souls resemble the Trinity because “… as in one God there are three Persons, so in my soul there are three
powers – my memory, my understanding, and my will” (nn 29 -30). Based on
these, I consider ourselves individually as manifestations of the Most Holy
Trinity. The main point now is that both our relationship with the Most Holy
Trinity (God) and with our brothers and sisters ought to be likened to the
relationship in the Most Holy Trinity. And as each person of the Most Holy
Trinity makes the other better known, how do we make both the Most Holy Trinity
and our brothers and sisters better known?
We read from Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:
For we know only in part, and we prophesy only
in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I
was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a
child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in
a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part;
then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known (1Cor 13:9-12).
And we conclude with this from the first letter of Saint John: “Beloved,
we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1Jn 3:2). Let us therefore be ready for
God by being good manifestations of the Most Holy Trinity we ought to be.
Remember to be holy as you manifest the Most Holy Trinity.
Bible Reading: Gen 1:26; 3:22; Matt 28:16-20; 1Cor 12:4-6; Eph
4:1-6; Jn 14; Jn 17.
Thought for today:
To what extent are you a manifestation of the Most Holy Trinity?
Let us pray: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without
end – Amen.
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May God bless you all+
Saint Philip Neri was born in Florence in the year
1515. He abandoned the chance to become a businessman and moved to Rome where
he devoted his life and individuality to God. Philip Neri was ordained a priest
at the urging of his confessor and soon became an outstanding confessor, gifted
with the knack of piercing the pretences and illusions of others. He founded a
religious institute, the Oratory. His characteristic virtues were humility and
gaiety. Philip Neri was a sign of contradiction, combining popularity with
piety against the background of a corrupt Rome and a disinterested clergy, the
whole post-Renaissance malaise. He died in the year 1595.[1]