Deut 4:32-34, 39-40; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20
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.
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 fulfilment 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