The mystery of the Deity is so profound it can only be described by the word, Trinity, God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Scripture does not mention the word, Trinity, to explain the Deity. This actual word derives from the Church’s Tradition, from the earliest Councils of the Church, to explain what is already contained in Scripture. But, the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly found in the New Testament Bible, and nowhere more clearly than in the Gospel of John, chapter 16.
It appears to me that the best way to gain an appreciation of the Trinity is to examine the implications of each of the three divine persons in our lives.
Firstly, God as Father embraces all of God’s children whether they be Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim or even Agnostic. As believers in the Fatherhood of God, we are urged to respect and love all peoples irrespective of religious denomination, creed, social origin or background. God as Father reveals himself to us in nature, in the wonderful cycle of the seasons, in the gift of humanity, in the discoveries of the human intellect, in the divine light shining within us which we call – conscience. The old testament bible which deals with salvation history recounts the deeds of God the Father for his chosen people, culminating in the ten commandments.
Secondly, the second person of the Trinity which we are privileged to read about in the new testament; namely, Jesus Christ, the son of God, enables the Christian to offer genuine witness of his or her love of God. Since the Christian believes in Christ, he or she will be impelled to give expression to that belief by example modeled on the life of Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.. To follow Christ is to enlarge our appreciation of the Trinity by relating to each other in the best possible way as followers of Him. Christ came into this world to save us from sin, to redeem our human nature, and to show us the Way.
Thirdly, the Holy Spirit raises our appreciation of the Trinity to another level. The Holy Spirit has been described by Christ in the gospels as the spirit of Truth, who will teach us those things that we still must know. The work of the Holy Spirit among the people of God is progressive and leads to a more profound appreciation of the faith. We do not know everything there is to know about God because He is a mystery. The Holy Spirit is there to enlighten us whenever the need and occasion arises. This is a wonderful truth, a truth that should make us humble and grateful. The Holy Spirit is working in the church through the ecumenical movement by creating bridges between different faiths and denominations, through the social and healing ministry of committed Christians, and always through the lives of good Christians who strive to understand Christ’s word better and apply it to their lives.
May our lives continue to reflect a deeper appreciation of the mystery of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
—Fr. Hugh Duffy
NOTE: Fr. Hugh Duffy will be accompanying a tour of the Holy Land and Jordan scheduled for October 30 to November 9, 2019. For more information and reservations, contact Ligia Estrada (KLC) in the U.S. at 305-842-9896
4 Comments
Dr. D.R. Smith
I best example for understanding the Trinity during out time in earth is H2O.
It comes in three forms and has three distinct purposes..
H2O as Water
H2O as Ice
H2O as Steam.
All the Same malicular make up, But all with different functions.
Just a thought
Hugh Duffy
That’s an interesting comparison and thought, D. R. Thanks for your comment. It does not, however, remove the mystery from the Trinity which is such it keeps on giving.
A Mother once told me she had no problem with the Trinity of three persons in one nature since she, herself, was a Mother, a Wife, and a Daughter in one nature. I could only laugh at her remarkable ingenuity.
Philip
To my mind, the greatest mystery of The Trinity is why many Christians seem to think that God reveals Himself like that to make it more difficult for us to understand Him! I’m sure it must have been so that we can know Him better, even if we can’t grasp all the implications. Thank you for your article.
Hugh Duffy
“To know Him better,” Philip. That’s it. Thanks for the comment.