Homily on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Become Like The God We Worship 

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, June 4, 2023

What is the most fundamental truth in Christianity upon which all other truths of the faith rest upon? The Holy Trinity! How come? The Trinity is not about what God has done in human history like the creation, the Incarnation, institution of the Eucharist, atonement on the cross, the Resurrection etc., but about who God is in himself. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the ‘hierarchy of the truths of faith’” (CCC 234). A lot of Christians might think that the most essential mystery of our faith is the Eucharist, after all, it is the source and summit of the Christian life. Some might think it is the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Others might say it is Jesus’ atonement on the cross. But that’s not so. It is the mystery of God in himself.

For many Christians, when Trinity is mentioned, they seem not to know what to do with it. But take a look at how we entered into the Church and our devotional life as Catholics. What formula were you baptized? The Trinitarian formula: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Where did we get this formula of baptism? On the mountain of Ascension, Jesus speaks to his disciples saying, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” So, in the beginning of our life as Christians, we were baptized in the name of the Trinity. Anytime you enter a church and dip your fingers into the holy water, what else do you do? You make the sign of the cross. And that sign is also the sign of the Trinity. So from the sacramental and devotional dimensions, you are already drawn into the Trinity. 

Without dwelling too much on the theology of the Blessed Trinity which may appear too scholarly and abstract for some people, let us look at some of the lessons we can learn from the Holy Trinity. The true and living God is unknown. The Athenians were right when they erected an altar and devoted it to the “Unknown God.” But at a certain time and place, this unknown God revealed himself first to Abraham. Centuries later, he revealed himself again to Moses. Not only did he reveal himself to Moses, he also revealed his name. In our first reading (Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9), God revealed his attributes: merciful, gracious, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and fidelity. Now, what does God want? Why does he reveal himself to his puny creature, the human race? God wants relationship. Among other reasons, the chief reason you want to reveal yourself to a stranger is down to relationship. You want to relate with that person in a deeper way. God wants to relate with us; he wants to be in a relationship with us. That’s why he constantly reveals himself. But God’s subsistence or fullness or greatness does not rest on this relationship, it is rather ours. Our relationship with God makes us fully alive; we become greater, and our existence becomes more meaningful and more purposeful. The true God reveals himself to the human race for the sake of the human race. So, the first lesson from the Trinity is relationship; first, with God, and second, with the people of God for the sake of God. For this reason, make an effort to know your brothers and sisters in the faith. Do not be in a hurry to leave after Mass. Greet the priest, hang out and introduce yourself to someone who does not know you. Do not always stand and talk to people that already know you. Identify someone you don’t know, approach the person, and initiate a conversation. I know that this is not always easy and comfortable, but it is possible. The God we serve has shown us how to reach out. If you are truly into him, you will do likewise. Become like the God we worship. 

In our Gospel for today, Jesus says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16). I tell you, there is so much in those words. First, we are told that God loves us so much. About who God is, John says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8b). What does that mean? It means that love is not something that God does, or an attribute that God has; love is what God is. So, the second lesson to learn from the Blessed Trinity is love. It is a contradiction in terms to be a worshipper of the Triune God and still wallow in hatred, bigotry, unforgiveness, injustice etc. What is love? It is to will the good of the other and to do something about it. Love is a joyful delight in the very existence of another. Love is not tolerance. Our Master enjoins us to love one another and not to tolerate one another. When you have a cold, you tolerate it until it goes away. In Christianity, we are not called to tolerate each other, rather to love each other. Tolerance is passive: “I will tolerate you as long as you don’t enter my space. Stay where you are and I will stay where I am. If any misfortune befalls you, deal with it. Do not bother me, and I won’t bother you. Maintain your lane and I will maintain mine.” That’s tolerance. It is not Christianity. Love is active, it is action. The Triune God we serve is love, and that’s why he gave us his only Son. Do you want to become more like the God you serve? Then love! Don’t tolerate! Just love! Move into the space of your brothers and sisters in faith and allow them also to move into your space. Care about others. Be interested in them. Be happy that they are here. That’s the second lesson from the Trinity. 

The third lesson from the Blessed Trinity is unity. In John 10:30, Jesus says, “The Father and I are one.” At his baptism, the unity of the Trinity is fully disclosed. At the mountain of Ascension, this unity is intensified when Jesus mandates his mystical Body, the Church, to initiate new members into his Kingdom in the name of the Trinity. In his last will and testament, Jesus prays that his disciples and those who will believe in him through their preaching may be one just as he and the Father are one (John 17:22-24). In our Gospel for today, Jesus speaks about how he was sent by God the Father. And towards the end of his public ministry, he speaks about returning to the Father, and about he and the Father sending the Holy Spirit. This trinitarian unity teaches us to work for unity within and outside the house of God. Because we are saved by the great acts of the Trinity, division should not be allowed to reign among us. The love that exists in the Trinity, no doubt, generates unity. Therefore, there should be no Jews or Gentiles among us, rather, God’s beloved children united in one faith and in one Lord.