Trinity Sunday B
June 2006
Up to six weeks ago, I, and 99% of the population of the UK, could not distinguish a metatarsal from a pig's ear. Today the only person who does not know what a metatarsal is is someone who has just woken from a long-term coma. This illustrates the power of the mass media and our ability to learn new things despite other evidence to the contrary.
The first thing our parents taught us about our religion was probably the sign of the cross - `in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'
God is One but made up of three separate Persons who are equal in all things. This is what we call the Holy Trinity.
Our knowledge stopped there and further investigation was pointless because the Holy Trinity was a mystery. Now we must learn new things. We are told that the existence of Three Persons in the One God is one of the most important revelations brought to us by Jesus Christ. Why? Here are a couple of reasons.
- Firstly; because it tells us that God does not exist in lonely isolation. God is a community or family of three persons. Our own basic social unit - the family - mirrors the Holy Trinity. Our unit of father, mother and child is complete in itself and fulfils all our basic needs. This is why we gather together each week as a community to return thanks to God who is a community of Three Persons. This is why a 'christianity' that is only based on a one to one relationship with God is incomplete and stunted.
- Secondly; it gives us a reason for creation. We often wonder “why did God create anything?” More particularly “why did God create me?” St. John tells us; `God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.' My life, my health, my strength, all my functions, are completely dependent on the enormous amount of blood which my body contains. In God's case substitute love for blood. God's lifeblood is love.
Two people meet. They find nothing objectionable in each other's company so they arrange to meet again. At this stage, if it was suggested that they share the same house or open a joint bank account they would laugh at such a mad suggestion. As they continue to meet, respect turns to affection and affection turns to love. Now they have automatically begun to share their time, their interests, their meals, their hopes, their fears, their ambitions. Eventually they marry and begin to share the same house and the same bed. Lastly, the ultimate sharing; they open a joint bank account. Love compels one to share. Love is sharing. God is love therefore God must share. God is true to his/her nature only if God shares.
Having shared everything so completely among themselves that the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity are equal in all things, their love continues to compel them to share with other things. Hence creation.
Creation is God sharing its being, its existence, its goodness, its compassion, its tolerance, its forgiveness, its nature and even its kingdom with other things.
That is why God created me. Gods love compels him/her to share his/her being, life, nature and kingdom with me.
The amount I share measures precisely the amount I love and the amount I love measures precisely my integration into the Holy Trinity Family.