Prov. 8:22-31; Rom. 5:1-5; Jn. 16:12-5
The window portrayed a single radiant light split into three distinct forms. The Flame blazed in gold, the Stream flowed in blue, and the Whisper glowed in soft white. Confused, the students asked, "Why three, if they come from one light?" The master replied, "Because the flame burns with purpose, the stream moves with power, and the whisper speaks with love. They are not separate, but together they show the fullness of the light."
That window became the image through which the students would come to understand their craft and their lives—a reflection of unity in diversity, purpose in relationship, and harmony in mystery. So it is with the Trinity.
Today, on Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the mystery of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not a formula to be solved but a relationship to be embraced. In the passage from John 16:12-15, Jesus reveals the interplay of the Trinity in action:
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…He will glorify me because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine.”
Here, we see Jesus speaking of the Father and the Spirit not as isolated beings, but as persons in dynamic communion. The Father gives to the Son, the Son reveals the Father, and the Spirit glorifies the Son. This is a movement of mutual love, of giving and receiving.
Other parts of Scripture reinforce this triune reality. In the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17), the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father speaks: "This is my beloved Son." In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), Jesus commands, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The Early Church and the Struggle to Articulate the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity did not emerge overnight. The early Church wrestled with how to faithfully articulate what was experienced in Christ and the Spirit without betraying monotheism.
The early Church Fathers used analogies to explain this mystery. St. Augustine described the Trinity as the Lover, the Beloved, and the Love between them. The Cappadocian Fathers spoke of three persons in one essence, like the sun which has light, heat, and form—distinct yet inseparable.
Trinity Sunday reminds us that God’s very being is relationship. This has profound implications for our lives. The Trinity is not a static doctrine but a living model of how we are to live with one another.
In a world fractured by division—political, racial, economic, and ideological—the Trinity calls us to unity without erasing our uniqueness. Just as the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Spirit, we too are distinct, yet called to live in communion.
Consider the story of the L'Arche communities founded by Jean Vanier. In these communities, people with and without intellectual disabilities live together in mutual relationships. Vanier often said, "We are not called to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love."
In L'Arche, we see the reflection of Trinitarian love—each person valued not for what they produce, but for who they are in relationship. It is a lived experience of unity in diversity.
God the Father creates, the Son redeems, and the Spirit sanctifies. These are not separate actions but unified missions. Genesis 1:26 says, "Let us make man in our image." The plural language hints at the relational nature of God. The incarnation is the ultimate act of the Triune God—the Father sends the Son, and the Spirit empowers Him. The Spirit continues the work of Christ in the Church, guiding us into all truth.
Corrie ten Boom, a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, once faced one of her former guards after a speech on forgiveness. He asked for her pardon. She stood frozen, but then she prayed, and the Spirit filled her with the strength to take his hand and forgive. That moment was not hers alone; it was the work of the Triune God—the Father who forgives, the Son who redeems, and the Spirit who empowers.
In families, the Trinity calls us to relational harmony. In family life, we are called not to dominance or isolation but mutual love and respect. In the Church, unity is essential. Paul urges the Church to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). The Church is the Body of Christ, animated by the Spirit and loved by the Father. In society, Christians must be witnesses to the Trinitarian life in how we engage with the world. That means building bridges, not walls; listening, not shouting.
The ecumenical movement—seeking unity among Christian denominations—is an embodiment of Trinitarian faith. Similarly, interfaith efforts build mutual respect, affirming our call to peace. Pope Francis, in "Fratelli Tutti," reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters. This echoes the Trinity’s message: though different, we are one.
Even in the digital age, the Trinity has a message. We are more connected than ever, yet loneliness abounds. The relational nature of God reminds us that genuine connection requires more than data exchange; it needs presence, listening, and love.
To be ambassadors of the Trinity is to model unity, seek reconciliation in our relationships, honor diversity, value the unique gifts each person brings, and live in communion, engaging in our communities with grace and humility.
The Trinity is not a puzzle to be solved but a life to be lived. It challenges our isolation, heals our divisions, and calls us into deeper communion with God and one another.
As modern Christians, let us bear witness to this mystery not just in doctrine but in life. Let us be stained-glass windows through which the light of the Triune God shines in many colors—radiant, unified, and full of grace. Amen.
Satish