Before the Trinity became doctrine, it was the experience of the Christian community. The Trinity is not just a puzzle for theologians. As Christians we experience God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We experience God as parent, as father/mother who created us, loved us and never abandoned us and as a parent who so loved the world that he gave his Son for us. We also experience God as Son, as Word made flesh, as one of us, Jesus Christ, the human face of God. Jesus spoke to us of the Father’s love and proved it by his obedience. He told us that he wouldn’t leave us orphans, but will send the Spirit to be with us always. We experience God as Holy Spirit dwelling with us, making a home with us, making us Church and giving us spiritual gifts. The Spirit allows us to cry out confidently, Abba, Father.
Understanding the Holy Trinity also explains why we come together to pray and why we sacrifice ourselves for others. The lesson of the Holy Trinity is that we are always in relationships with each other, and we are to love and help each other. Scripture tells us that we are made in the image of God. If we believe this then by our very nature, we are active participants in Trinitarian life. How we demonstrate our Trinitarian nature is up to each of us individually. St Paul tells us clearly in the second reading today from Romans 5:1-5 (New Jerusalem Bible), when we are confident in our faith, “we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; it is through him by faith that we have been admitted into God’s favor in which we are living, and look forward exultantly to God’s glory.”
Of course, in our world today our faith is challenged all the time. Holding on to that peace with God is a daily struggle. St Paul assures us that if we face our challenges with the same confidence we have in our faith, then we develop endurance, proven character and hope. But the most tangible sign of a Trinitarian life is one in which we love as God loves, unconditionally without expecting love in return. Love like this requires the wisdom and power of the Father, the compassion of the Son and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And so, we pray:
Our One God,
you wanted to be a communion of three persons
so that you could share your one love;
you made yourself one of us in Jesus, your Son,
so that you could draw us into that love.
Give us the grace to respond to your goodness
through the Spirit poured out into our hearts.
Fill us with joy and wonder for you
and inspire us to love our brothers and sisters,
to share with them and to be one with them,
because you have loved us first
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen
