The Mystery of God

Today is the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, which celebrates the mystery of one God: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three persons, yet one God. This mystery of the Trinity was revealed to us by Jesus, God the Son. He showed us the face of God as the merciful Father; he presented himself as the Son of God and the Word of the Father, yet fully human, who sacrificed his life for us; and he spoke of the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete.

The Gospel that the liturgy offers us during this Feast of the Most Holy Trinity comes from the long farewell discourse given by Jesus shortly before his Passion. Many consider the Gospel of John difficult to understand because it does not use parables, but rather addresses very profound theological concepts. However, the Holy Trinity is not a difficult theological concept to understand, but the great mystery of a God who is close. The mystery of the Trinity tells us that we do not have a solitary God in heaven, distant and indifferent.

In revealing his identity, Jesus emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit. After several years of living with his disciples, Jesus entrusted them with the mission he had begun. Although he would no longer be with them physically, he offers them his life and his Spirit to be with them until the end of time. This is how Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit. It will be the work of the Holy Spirit that will allow us to be part of the Father’s plan of salvation and the salvific work of the Son.

The mystery of the Trinity speaks to us about ourselves, about our relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the baptism we have all received, the Holy Spirit has placed us in the heart and life of God. God is a “family” of three Persons who love one another so much that they form a communion.

In explaining the meaning of the Sign of the Cross, Pope Francis, may he rest in peace, offered this beautiful reflection:

“Every time we make the sign of the cross, we name the Holy Spirit and touch our shoulders, precisely to remind us that it is the Spirit who comes to give us strength, to encourage us, to bear our burdens. With God, the burdens of life do not fall on our shoulders. In fact, He is an expert at lifting and rebuilding. Therefore, those who draw close to God do not become discouraged, but continue forward: to begin again, to try again, and to rebuild. They also suffer, but they manage to begin again, to try again, and to rebuild.”

The feast of the Most Holy Trinity invites us to commit ourselves to communion, consolation, and mercy in our daily lives. Having been created in the image and likeness of God, we are called to understand ourselves as people who care for one another, that is, to be people of communion.

May the Lord always grant you his peace!

Fr. Lalo Jara, OFM Pastor,
Mission San Luis Rey Parish