2020/06/07 — Trinity Sunday — Year A

Trinity Sunday was June 7 this year. Before it is too far in the past, here are some thoughts about the doctrine of the Trinity and the scripture passages assigned for this year.

First Reading — Exodus 34:4b-6,  8-9
Second Reading — 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Gospel — John 3:6-8

Introduction

The most appropriate readings the Church could find to set before us on the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity deal with peace, mercy, kindness, and salvation for eternal life. Although there are other passages which speak more explicitly of the three persons of the Trinity, and we hear some of them in other years, this year’s readings seem to direct us to think about what this God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit means for our lives.

We Can’t Understand

But for starters, lets just listen to some of the ways the doctrine has been formulated through the centuries, as recounted by Wikipedia.

In Trinitarian doctrine, God exists as three persons or hypostases, but is one being, having a single divine nature.[81] The members of the Trinity are co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will. As stated in the Athanasian Creed, the Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated, and all three are eternal without beginning.[82] "The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" are not names for different parts of God, but one name for God[83] because three persons exist in God as one entity.[84] They cannot be separate from one another. Each person is understood as having the identical essence or nature, not merely similar natures.[85]
According to the Eleventh Council of Toledo (675) "For, when we say: He who is the Father is not the Son, we refer to the distinction of persons; but when we say: the Father is that which the Son is, the Son that which the Father is, and the Holy Spirit that which the Father is and the Son is, this clearly refers to the nature or substance"[86]
The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) adds: "In God there is only a Trinity since each of the three persons is that reality — that is to say substance, essence or divine nature. This reality neither begets nor is begotten nor proceeds; the Father begets, the Son is begotten and the holy Spirit proceeds. Thus there is a distinction of persons but a unity of nature. Although therefore the Father is one person, the Son another person and the holy Spirit another person, they are not different realities, but rather that which is the Father is the Son and the holy Spirit, altogether the same; thus according to the orthodox and catholic faith they are believed to be consubstantial."[87]

The doctrine of the Trinity is mind-boggling. But we believe it because Jesus said to baptize people in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And we realize that our minds are limited. Here as elsewhere in speaking of God, we can say things which are not false, but even when we say things that are true, they can’t fully express the truth, and often, we can’t even fully understand them.

So what can we say beyond, “We can’t understand”? We can say what John says in his first epistle: God is love. And that’s what we see in the readings of today’s Mass. We see a God who is merciful and will accompany us despite our disobedience. We see a God who comes into the world to save, not to condemn. We see a God of peace who calls us to live in peace.

2015/09/20 — 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus gives his second prediction of his passion. All good people can expect opposition, but we must remain good-hearted.


Last Sunday's gospel passage included a profession of faith, a prediction of Jesus' Passion, and a teaching that all Christians must bear their cross. The lectionary passes over the accounts of the Transfiguration and the exorcism of a boy with a demon to get to today's pericope: Mark 9:30-37. There are two parts to this passage. First, Jesus once more predicts his suffering, death, and resurrection. Once more, the disciples are puzzled, but they don't dare ask questions. Next, the disciples discuss who is the greatest. Jesus says greatness lies in service to all, even to people of no status such as children.


The passion of Jesus, which he predicts, fulfills the words of the first reading — Wisdom 2:12, 17-20. But Jesus isn't the only just one persecuted by the wicked. Good behavior is always a silent rebuke to those who are behaving badly. They resort to mockery, pressure to conform, and bullying. In Western nations, the pressure to conform usually does not go beyond that, but it takes courage to stand up to what may be popular but wrong. Note that the just one is characterized by gentleness and patience. Note also that the words of the wicked in verse 18 echo Psalm 22:9, which Jesus prayed on the cross, and both find their echo in the mockery of Jesus by the chief priests, scribes, and elders at Matthew 27:43.


Psalm 53:3-6, 8 has the congregation pray as those persecuted by the wicked do, with confidence in God.


The second reading — James 3:16-4:23 — warns us to avoid against jealousy, ambition, and covetousness. They are bad in themselves, but they lead to further evils: disorder and all sorts of "foul practice," as well as conflicts both within oneself and with others. The mention of wars and killings don't imply that the hearers are literally engaged in those thing. Commentators point that those were standard themes in contemporary writings against jealousy and self-seeking. At any rate, the Holy Spirit, wisdom from above, brings purity, peace, gentleness, compliance, mercy, and good deeds. Jesus exhibited those while remaining forthright in his teaching and courageous in the face of opposition. We should have the same childlike qualities, not letting ourselves be provoked to evil.