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This Sunday we jump right back into Ordinary time by celebrating the Holy Trinity. Of all the things we believe as Catholics, our catechism names the Trinity - God’s revelation that he always has been, always is, and ever shall be One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - as the central mystery of our faith. We’ve been mulling over this dogma ever since we were taught the sign of the cross and for many Catholics, the Trinity ranks right up there with Transubstantiation as something that makes smoke come out of our ears as we try to understand it or explain it to others. As long as the teaching of the Holy Trinity remains only an intellectual concept or theological construct, it will feel distant and irrelevant to our lives. But once we move beyond the fancy words and detached terminology, we find something we can all relate to, which is a name. Not just A name but the NAME above ALL names! Behind the mystery of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the gradual revelation of who God is. As He builds a relationship with his people, he steadily shares more and more of himself, first as Father, then as Son, and finally as Holy Spirit.
We do this all the time in our human interactions. The first time we meet someone or introduce ourselves, we make sure to pronounce their name correctly and attach the proper titles. It is a sign of respect for who they are and what they have accomplished. We also use our proper name rather than our favorite nickname or Twitter handle. Now, perhaps over time, we get to know this person better and a friendship develops. Remember how wonderful it feels when someone says, “you don’t have to call me Mr. Smith, John is fine.” That is an honor and sign of a deeper relationship, revealed through a name. If that friendship continues to grow, we might even move beyond proper names to nicknames, which are often based on a shared experience or inside joke. But imagine if we went right from introducing ourselves to someone to assigning them a nickname. It probably wouldn’t go over real well!
To know someone’s name is power. It gives us the ability to relate to them on a deeper level and as a unique individual. The Bible recognizes the importance of names and treats them with great reverence. Jesus tells us that if we come together in his name, he will be among us. He taught us to venerate the Father's name and one of the ten great commandments is to use the name of God with reverence, never in vain. The apostles used Jesus’ name to prophecy, work miracles and cast out demons. He promises enormous repayment to those who do even the smallest kindness in his name. The Acts record Peter and the other apostles doing many things in Jesus’ name, including sacraments like baptism and the breaking of bread. Finally, Revelation states that the elect have the Father's name on their foreheads.
Because of their importance, one of my greatest fears is that I will mess up someone’s name at a funeral or wedding. So far, God has spared me that embarrassment! But I have been at a funeral where another priest called the dearly departed by the wrong name. Spontaneously, the family corrected him; they couldn’t even help themselves. There is something special about a person’s name and you gotta get it right.
It’s the same with God. We have to get his name right. That’s why we baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. That's how God has revealed himself to us. Foolishly, some folks have changed God’s name to be more in line with the times. Some people find “Father”, “Son”, and “Holy Spirit” to be offensive, old-fashioned, or just hard to relate to. But we never have the right to change another person’s name, much less the name of the Almighty! To have a personal relationship with someone, you have to know, use, and respect their name. If I keep calling someone "Bob" instead of "Bill", he might be amused at first, but if I kept using the wrong name and never bothered to correct my mistake, we couldn't have much of a relationship. Knowing someone's name is the first step which leads the way to greater friendship and sharing. That is the relationship God wants with us and he invites us closer by sharing his name.
Trinity Sunday is far more than an academic reflection on some theological point. It is a reminder of who God is as he has revealed himself to us. It is central to our faith because we are made in God’s image and likeness. The more we understand God and grow in friendship with Him, the more we actually understand ourselves! It is a celebration that God has trusted us with his name and promised every good thing when we are willing to bear it as his faithful children. When we choose something or someone else’s name in place of God, we fall into sadness and slavery. But when we call out to God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - it brings peace and freedom. May each of us know that we are loved and protected by the God who knows us each by name. And may we glorify his name by faithfully living in witness to him and introducing others to him. In the name the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
