The Mystery of the Holy Trinity, Father – Son and Holy Spirit
june 15, 2025 | trinity sunday, Year C
Proverbs 8: 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16: 12-15
Dear friends in Christ, According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life.” (No. 262). God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How can we understand this profound mystery?
Understanding the Trinity
Understanding the Trinity is very important as it makes our worship possible and our faith stronger. Any wrong understanding of this doctrine makes everything else wrong, such as the cross, our salvation, our relationships, our purpose, our calling, our prayer, our theologies and any form of teaching on God and the created world. The revealed truth of the Trinity has been at the very root of the church’s living faith (CCC 249), by means of baptism, catechesis, liturgical greetings (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:13). It becomes clearer that God has revealed himself as one but in three persons: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5). The CCC could not be more explicit by saying "Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal" (CCC 266). Our knowledge of the Father sent the Son (John 3:16), and the Son who revealed the Father and the Spirit who unites the Father and the Son and brings them into our hearts (Cf. Romans 5:5)
The Trinity as the Center of our existence.
How we define God shapes everything in our life. If we think of the Trinity as one single person, who plays three different roles, we delve into confusion. Believing God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God in three people helps us to understand that Jesus is pointing us to the Father, the source of life; that Holy Spirit who draws and connects us to Jesus. In this we begin to know the Father as our Creator, The Son as our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete who walk alongside with us. This enables us to stop seeking for false peace but fall in love with the true power of God’s love. Our prayer is no longer a vague idea, but a relationship with the Father who created me out of love and the Son who redeems me and the Holy Spirit who empowers and sanctifies as the true breath of God. The realization of the Holy Trinity in our daily lives is so tremendous; it helps our prayer get stronger, our cross get deeper and our faith becomes real and alive; our community lives in harmony and unity in spite of our differences. With the celebration of the holy Trinity, we are invited to build good relationships of love, dignity, equality, communion, justice and peace. Yes, God is one in essence and three in persons without neither confusion nor separation. All three are equally and eternally and fully God. Each person contains the fullness of divine nature. Yet, there are not three gods, but one. No division, no separation, no confusion. The Trinity should be the model of our communities, churches and families today.
Happy Trinity Sunday
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Living the Gospel this week. The fruits of the Holy Spirit
As we get back to the ordinary time, It is important for us to yield the fruits of the paschal mysteries that we had celebrated. St. Augustine said the fruits of the Holy Spirit are a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within a person. They are a sign of spiritual maturity and a true love for God.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1832 states that, the fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: "charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.
Can you examine yourself this week by asking yourself if you bear each of these fruits. How do I live my chastity? Am I a joyful and peaceful person? Am I faithful, modest, patient, kind or gentle or generous? Pray for the grace to bear that you are lacking and to grow and strengthen others.
Happy Sunday of the most Holy Trinity!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC