To begin the homily on this Trinity Sunday, I invite you to join me in making the sign of the cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This was one of the first prayers I learned as a child. And I use it all of the time: before and after my prayers, when I drive by a church, as I receive the Eucharist, when I dip my finger into holy water, or when I give a blessing. For most of us, this gesture is familiar, so common, I suspect, that sometimes we do it more out of habit and forget that it is a prayer.
But for all its simplicity, the sign of the cross is a profound prayer because it expresses the central mystery of our faith; the mystery that we are celebrating today, which is the mystery of the most holy Trinity. So, what IS the Trinity? And WHY is it so important to Catholics, that the Catechism calls it the “central mystery of our Faith?” The mystery of the Trinity is the belief that we have one God; the same God who saved and protected Israel but that this God contains three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three persons are equal to each other in every way but they are not the same; in other words, each person is unique. So the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is not the Son, and so on.
Perhaps most of you remember the mystery of the Trinity from your Catholic education or RCIA and you are simply wondering why it is the central mystery of our Faith. The Trinity is the central mystery of our faith because it reveals who God is. The Trinity helps us to understand the God who has created us, redeemed us, and who continually sustains us and makes us holy. The mystery of the Trinity teaches us, first and foremost, that our God is a God of love.
The mystery of the Trinity teaches us that within God himself, we see a perfect, loving, relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But this divine love doesn’t just stay within the Trinity. For example, the love of the Trinity is what brings about the creation of the world. And in the fullness of time, this same love will move God to send his only begotten Son into the world, to save it from sin and death. Once again, love will move Jesus to send the Holy Spirit to protect and guide the Church until he returns at the end of time. These examples are just a sampling of the great mystery of the Trinity which teaches us about God who is all-loving and lives in perfect relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This mystery is not meant to be something that remains in our head. The Trinity is meant to transform our lives, our families, and our world. As humans, we are created in the image and likeness of God. As baptized Catholics, the life of the Trinity actually dwells in our souls through grace.
We might ask ourselves the following questions: does my life reflect the life of the Trinity? Is the perfect relationship of love that exists between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit reflected in the way we live our lives? Within our own hearts, do we acknowledge and truly believe that we are made in God’s image and likeness? Do we embody this truth in the way we act, in the words we speak, in the entertainment we enjoy, in the clothes we wear, and the company we keep? Do people look at us and see an image of God’s love and joy? Or do they see things like self-hate, anger, revenge, lust, greed, or jealousy?
How about our families? It is in the home that the mystery of the Trinity is most powerfully reflected. Do our families imitate the loving relationship seen in our God? Don’t be afraid to ask if your relationship with your spouse open to communication, correction, and growth? Are you able to make sacrifices for your family in all things? Are you open to the gift of life? Are you making sure that you love the people entrusted to your care? The love of God holds nothing back; he sacrifices everything for those he loves. We are called to love others in the very same way. So what does this mean in our everyday lives?
Children: love your parents and your brothers and sisters. Make it a habit to take care of others and think of them first. You can do this in simple little ways like cleaning off the table after dinner, unloading the dishwasher, sharing your time and toys, cleaning your room, and so on. But see in these little acts of kindness an opportunity to spread the love of God.
Husbands and wives: love one another with a love that knows no limits. Remind yourselves of the commitment you made to each other on your wedding day. Be patient with each other’s faults and failings. Be willing to listen when your spouse wants to talk about a bad day. Make it a habit to think of the other person first; by doing little acts of kindness every day, you will reflect the love of our triune God.
This is the love of the Trinity, this is the example given to us by our God. Let us use this Trinity Sunday to remind ourselves of who God is and remember we are made in his image and likeness. We are called to worship the God of love and live out this love with our actions.
I would like to conclude this homily in the same way that I began; with the sign of the cross. Let us be reminded now and every time we make the sign of the cross that we are called to be a people of the trinity, a people who live love and right relationship with ourselves, with our families, and with those we encounter each and every day. In the name of the Father…
