Three in One

Holy Trinity Sunday

16 June 2019

First reading                                                                        Proverbs 8:22-31
[Wisdom says of herself] “The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.

Second reading                                                        Romans 5:1-5

Brothers and sisters, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Gospel                                                                     John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Reflection

By Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We begin and end our prayer with the sign of the cross. I remember a priest testing me if I can do the sign of the cross properly as he began the baptism rite where I was a godmother. It was important for I will help in cultivating the faith of that little one being baptized. The sign of the cross may be simple as we think but it encapsulates the wholeness of the Catholic faith. It is in this gesture that we invoke the blessing of the Holy Trinity, the triune God that we believe in.

The first Sunday after Pentecost is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In this celebration we recognize the presence of one God in three divine persons. While our understanding of the Trinity has advanced and deepened over the years, this dogma of our faith will always remain as the greatest mystery. We cannot completely grasp its connotation but we fully accept that this one God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The distinction between the three doesn’t rest in their autonomy, but in the “relationship of each Person to the others” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 252). God exists in a relationship of love—a love that He invites us to share.

In the Old Testament, the image of God is perceived as good because of His wonderful creation and everlasting assistance to His chosen race. In the New Testament, our God is regarded as a compassionate Father for He gave His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer of sinners.  And right after the resurrection, out of Christ’s love for His apostles that He did not leave them alone, He breathed to them the Holy Spirit that will be their guide in proclaiming the faith. The love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for each other unites them in becoming one God.

This Trinity Sunday, let us reflect on the relationship to which God has called us. How completely do we imitate the love of the Trinity in our relationships? Jesus left us with just two important commandments: “to love God and one another.” It is in loving each other that we will be united as one family and witnesses of God’s infinite and unconditional love. We may have different opinions, religions, and passions but we can definitely set those aside if we always choose to love. It is easier to subtract and divide but we are called to add and multiply; for God's favorite mathematical operation is multiplication.

As I end this reflection, let me share you a practical thought I learned from a priest about the sign of the cross. Pointing to forehead means God the Father gives us wisdom and understanding. Pointing to the stomach reminds us that Jesus the Son is the bread of life. Pointing to both shoulders tell us that the Holy Spirit hugs and joins us in our faith journey. And bringing hands together means we acknowledge the presence and implore the blessing of the Most Holy Trinity.

Prayer

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, help us to love others with Your example. Help us to not cause pain and hurt to others. Make us an instrument of Your unity today and always  Amen.