THE TRINITY IN COMMUNITY, WITH US IN COMMUNITY

REFLECTION FOR TRINITY SUNDAY, YEAR A

THEME: THE TRINITY IN COMMUNITY, WITH US IN COMMUNITY

R1: Exodus 34:4-6. 8-9

R2: 2Cor. 13: 11 - 13, John 3:16-18

Trying to explain the mystery of the Blessed Trinity has always been a difficult challenge among every preacher. This is because such effort will demand going beyond any human domain into the reality of God’s identity.

Sometime ago, a story was told of a priest who on this day, mounted the pulpit during the homily and said to the people in Igbo language, “what we are celebrating today is a mystery (ihe omimi).” He proceeded to explain what this mystery means but then a man who was mentally challenged was sitting at the back, when this priest wanted to begin the explanation of this mystery, the man thundered with a loud voice from the back, “Father keep quiet! If this is a mystery then you do not know what it means but if you know what it means, then it is no longer a mystery.”

The message of this man clearly indicates the difficulty involved in trying to explain the mystery of God because a God whose nature if fully known seizes to be God but an idol created by ourselves and for ourselves. No one knows how God really is therefore we can’t explain what we do not know, but we shall know Him when we see Him face to face. However, the fact that we do not know how He really is does not promote any form of disbelief, after all, we do not know what water is, we do not know what light is, we do know what heat is, most of us do not know how telephones work, we have many hypothesis about some of these but our ignorance of them do not stop of from their usage. That is why in a matter relating to God, one needs faith; believe.

Even though we have a limited knowledge about the Trinity, their existence reminds us of community. Our catechism tells us that one of the reasons why God created us is that we might unite with Him. This suggests that the establishment of a community with His people is central to the creation story. When this intention was destroyed by the fall of our first parents (Adam and Eve), God, again and again tried to re-establish this relationship by calling a people to Himself through Abraham and his descendants(Israel). In the desert, the people sinned but  today in the first reading He communicates His essence to Moses, “a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness.” These also project that quality of God who has a reuniting purpose. This he reinstituted by sending Jesus for our salvation.

The Trinity is a mystery of God who though One, has three distinct persons. The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit are three persons but One God. This reality is a model of unity for all Christians thus, Paul, greeting the people of God with the Trintarian formula,reminds us that we must grow together, we must be happy together, help one another and live in peace, for it is only when we exhibit this quality that God shall be with us. This reminds me of the last wish of Jesus, “that they may be one” (John 17:21). “For where peace and charity are, there God is”.

Dear friends, God does not want us to be alone for He himself is not alone, He is a Trinity, and to prove this, He created us to be in a community (It is not good for man to be alone, I will make for Him a helper - Gen 2:18). Let us realize the need for one another, I can’t do without another so can’t another do it alone. We are all important to one another. Therefore, let us seek the common good of one another, for this is the fulfillment of the commandment. This is the proof that we love and believe in God, and by believing, we shall not be condemned (Jn 3:18).

*Rev Fr Chukwuemeka Vincent Livinus, SMMM.*