One day St Augustine of Hippo was walking along the sea shore and reflecting on the doctrine of the Trinity. He suddenly saw a little child all alone on the shore. The child made a hole in the sand, ran to the sea with a little cup, filled her cup, came and poured it into the hole she had made in the sand. Back and forth she went to the sea, filled her cup and
came and poured it into the hole. Augustine went up to her and said, "Little child, what are you doing?" and she replied, "I am trying to empty the sea into this hole." "How do you think," Augustine asked her, "that you can empty this immense sea into this tiny hole and with this tiny cup?" To which she replied, " And you, how do you suppose that with this your small head you can comprehend the immensity of God?" With that the child disappeared.
came and poured it into the hole. Augustine went up to her and said, "Little child, what are you doing?" and she replied, "I am trying to empty the sea into this hole." "How do you think," Augustine asked her, "that you can empty this immense sea into this tiny hole and with this tiny cup?" To which she replied, " And you, how do you suppose that with this your small head you can comprehend the immensity of God?" With that the child disappeared.
Like Augustine we may not be able to understand the mystery of the Trinity. But we can describe the mystery, in the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God." Jesus knew very well that the disciples and his listeners were not able to understand the meaning of his message. Jesus expressed it in today's Gospel. "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." Jesus revealed himself to the people gradually and as understandable to them. First He taught them to recognize in Himself the Eternal Son of God. When His ministry was drawing to a close, He promised that the Father would send another Divine Person, the Holy Spirit, in His place. Finally after His resurrection, He revealed the doctrine in explicit terms, bidding them "go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:18).
"Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, was instituted to honour the Most Holy Trinity. This Special celebration was introduced by the Early church. St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury introduced it all over England and Pope John XX11 made this practice universal.
The importance of this doctrine lies in this: we are made in the image of God, therefore, the more we understand God the more we can understand ourselves. St. Paul tells us that through sufferings, endurance, the forming of character and hope, God's love is poured into our hearts through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Therefore the celebration of the mystery of Holy Trinity reminds us that we have to grow in unity like the perfect Unity that exists in Trinity.
God does not exist in isolated individualism but in a community of relationships. Therefore man can live, grow and find fulfillment only in and through society. John Donne expresses this reality , "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent … any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
No great objective can be attained by lone individuals. Several people have to strive together if even the simplest things are to be achieved. The great Pyramids of Egypt, the great wall of China, and the numerous wonders that arrest our attention and leave us baffling are just the result of human unity. The psalmist declares that "There is joy in unity- Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psa 133:1). Jesus prayed for it (Jn 17:20-22). The Apostle Paul pleaded for it (1 Cor 1:10; 3:3-5; Phil 1:27; Phil 2:1-2). The church practiced it (Acts 4:32).
The greatest hindrance to unity is selfishness(Phil 2:4). When we strive to overcome our selfishness we will be able to contribute positively to strengthen our relation with others. The Latin saying, "By union the smallest states thrive, by discord the greatest are destroyed" should remind us of our role in maintaining unity in our parish, family and our society.
May God, The Father, Son and Holy spirit shower their blessings on us and help us to strengthen our bond of unity.
Satish