Sunday, June 4th, 2023 – Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity - Cycle A Readings: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9, Daniel 3 “Glory and praise for ever!”, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, John 3: 16 -18

      My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate Trinity Sunday and this Sunday is the perfect time for this celebration, since we have just celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit last week at Pentecost. After which began the preaching and belief, and through baptism faith and confession in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; in the trinity is our sin forgiven. We begin and end prayers by invoking this same God. But what does that mean to have a belief, faith and confession in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit? This is one of the central mysteries of our faith. There are three persons in God. Go the Father, God the Son , and God the Holy Spirit. None is greater or less than the other but all are eternal and all three are equal. The father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God but there are not three Gods but one God. The Holy Spirit is all that the Father and the Son are except the father and the Son. The son is all that the Father and the Holy Spirit are except the Father and the Holy Spirit. And the Father is all that the Son and the Holy Spirit are except the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each is God, each is supreme before all others but each is distinct. This is a mystery.

      The God who is not limited by space so we call him the immense; or in time, so we call him the eternal; whose power knows no limit and so he is omnipotent. Nothing can be added to make God happier or perfect. When we speak of the Trinity however, we do not only think of the greatness of God. The focus of the celebration is the relationship that exists between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is the essence of this relationship that gives meaning to the Trinity and makes it a message for us Christians. The essence of the relationship between the three persons of the Trinity is love. It is the love of the Father that made him send the Son for the salvation of humanity. It was the love of the Son that made him obedient to the Father even unto death. His love for redeemed humanity made him send the Holy Spirit from the Father so that he may teach us all things and lead us to the Father. The Father and the Holy Spirit love the Son so much that at different moments in his earthly life, they manifested themselves to those who were with him. These moments confirm that Jesus had a privileged relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. As we celebrate this Solemnity, may we feel the love and presence of the Triune God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD