God desires that His children – that is, all of us – also be united in this love.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, which inspires us to contemplate and adore the divine life of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This year’s Gospel passage (John 3:16–18) consists of only three verses to introduce the Most Holy Trinity, yet they are verses of profound significance. Nevertheless, these verses suffice to correct the false image of God that sometimes still lingers in our minds—an erroneous image that portrays God as a judge who punishes people for their sins and rewards them for their good deeds.
The Gospel of John corrects this error and reveals a Father who loves His children, even when they have been unfaithful to Him or have abandoned Him. The passage speaks of the communion between God the Father—who sends His only-begotten Son into the world—and the communion of love between them, from which the Holy Spirit proceeds. And God desires that His children—that is, all of us—also be united in this love.
Jesus calls His disciples to love one another just as the Father loves Him. Love is the hallmark of a Christian. Let us recall when Jesus told us: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Therefore, it is a contradiction to conceive of Christians who hate; it is contrary to our very identity. Just as Jesus and the Father are united, He calls His disciples to unite in love. Consequently, the Church is called to be the visible expression of the Most Holy Trinity on earth.
A person becomes a Christian when they choose to bear witness to and proclaim that “God is love.” God is neither indifferent nor insensitive to human affairs. He is close to us—always by our side—walking with us to share in our joys and sorrows, our hopes and our struggles. The reason Jesus came into the world was not to condemn it, but to save it. Through the love of Jesus, human beings came to know God’s love.
A person who loves others is a reflection of the Trinity. A family in which every member loves and helps one another is a reflection of the Trinity. We, as Christians—an intercultural Catholic community—have the responsibility to reflect the Trinity on earth; that is, to love everyone without exception.
May the Lord always give you his peace.
Fr. Lalo Jara, OFM
Pastor, Mission San Luis Rey Parish
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