TRINITY SUNDAYLORD BE WITH YOU!Exodus 34:4-6,8-9
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
John 3:6-18
Dear friends in Christ Jesus in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit I welcome you all for this Holy Eucharistic celebration. How are you all? Are you all happy?
How many God’s do we have? Can any one of you answer me? One God, in three persons. Are these three persons are three gods or one God?
Once the catechist in the parish was teaching children about the Holy Trinity. Trinity is like man or woman. For example: The Trinity is like, how a man can be a Son, a Father, and an uncle at the same time. He is one and three at the same time, just as God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time.” Friends is that correct answer?
Also he said that Trinity is like Water. The water can be ice, liquid, and steam. Do you think that will be the right answer?
Dear friends both are wrong answers. Because the explanation leads to modalism. There is a model for each stage. Ice, liquid, steam etc. God does not go through three different states, or different forms of persons. Because, God is one and He is same all the time. There is coexistence in the Holy Trinity whereas there is no coexistence in the above explanations of the catechist.
Thus, we see in the Athanasian Creed that "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet they are not three Gods but one God." In this Trinity of Persons the Son is begotten of the Father by an eternal generation, and the Holy Spirit proceeds by the eternal procession from the Father and the Son. Yet, notwithstanding this difference as to origin, the Persons are co-eternal and co-equal: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. This is the teachings of the Church. There is Unity in the Godhead of the Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these Three Persons being truly distinct one from another. In our maths 1+1+1=3 but in catholic faith 1+1+1=1.
Today we live in a world of calculations and evaluations. Our mind wants satisfied explanation to whatever we believe and accept. Thus many people wanted to prove the trinity with so many examples. But in reality we must understand that we are not the creator of ourselves so, we are limited human beings and we have limited mind thus with this limited mind and knowledge we cannot prove or give concrete examples of Trinity.
Dear friends, can you explain the taste of an apple? Which I am holding in my hand and enjoying its sweetness? Unless you eat the apple you cannot know the taste of it. If you do not know the taste of it how can you explain the taste? In the same way stop analysing and giving examples of Trinity. Instead experience the presence and powerful workings of the Holy Trinity in your daily life situations. Today as we celebrate the Holy Trinity Sunday the Triune God is going to bless each one of us. Let us open the doors of our hearts and taste the blessings of the Holy Trinity.
Dear friends, does God exists in this world or not?
Some people say God does not exist and few people say God exist. Now what do you say; Does God exist for you or not?
If you say that God exists, then how the world should be? His world should be with love, peace, joy, happiness, etc. But when we look at the world today we see people are fighting with jealousy, terrorism, theft, killing, murder, tears, death, calamities, earthquakes, etc. If God exists in this world then this world should be world of happiness? Or world of sorrow? In the gospel of John 11:24 we see Martha saying to Jesus “Lord if you have been here my brother would not have died” that means there is no death when God is present, there is no sorrow, there is no crying etc… At this juncture what do you say? Is God exist or not?
One evening I went for the house visiting, the house owner of the house asked me Father is God exist in this world? I replied to him immediately yes, surely and truly God exists. Then he asked me another question. If God exists then where does he exist? Does he exist with good people or does he exists with bad people? I said he exists in both. But that man said God lives with good people and good people also live with God. But the good people and God do not exist in this world rather they exist in heaven. This earthily world belongs to only bad people. Sometimes we have heard the phrase saying when some people die the people say ‘what a good man he is! In this small age itself God has taken. Really it is painful to accept his death’. At the same time the people indicate to some saying ‘why does he lives on this earth’. God does not take his life. What a pity, unbearable creature he is’ etc.
To affirm this man’s phrase we too find in the history that so many good people have died in their small age itself. For example St. Dominic Savio died at the age of 15, St. Maria Gorattie-12, St. Lawrence – 33, St. Theresa of Child Jesus -24, St. Francis 45 etc…if these good people have lived little more years surely many more good works they could have done to this earth. If you accept these phrases then you may ask do not we have good people on this earth. Yes, we have good people on this earth but we do not recognize them, and we do not accept them in our circle. Because if the good people are our friends then we have to sacrifice so many things. So people avoid good people to be their friends.
When we were little children my father used to tell a story every day. The story goes like this. There lived a man namely Mr. Arul. He is so terror in appearance. People used to get frightened of him. His main duty is to steal money, Gold, or to kill people. Every day he will do some kind of stealing and evil activities. Is he a good man or bad man? Though he is a bad man he also had some good qualities like us. When he returns his house in the evening he will do all his house hold works. In his room there was a statue of Mother Mary and before going to bed he will kneel down before the statue and pray Rosary. It became a daily practise for him. During the day he used to do all kinds of evil activities and pray at night. The days past.
One day this man died. The angels had taken him to the judgement. By seeing his diary the angel immediately ordered him to go to hell. Without speaking anything this man walked towards Hell. As he walked he took his rosary and began praying. Suddenly Mother Mary saw this man walking towards the hell she rushed to him and brought him to the heaven. And Mother Mary recommended to her son saying this man is evil in nature but he never slept without praying a rosary. So now I recommend you to grant him a place in heaven.
Dear friends I do not say that you do all kinds of evil works and pray to Mother Mary you will reach heaven. But what I want to say is that many a times all of us resemble like this man Arul. Outside he was bad but inside he was good but on the contrary outside we are good but inside we are very very bad. Just reflect for a while; we are very good people inside the church. But out of the church are you able to practice the good activities in your lives.
How many of us can say that I do not lie? I do not steal? I do not have lustful eyes towards things, persons, etc? I have not spoiled the good names of my friends, neighbours? I pray daily? I receive communion only after my confession? These good acts must be practiced throughout the 24 hours of the day. External appearances we are good but before God how many of us are good people? Examine yourself.
In today’s first reading Moses beautifully portrays our sinful self “If I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance”. also in the first letter of John 1:6-10 we read that “If we say we have fellowship with Jesus while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us”. Hence we understand that we are all sinners.
If we are all sinners then why God does allows us to live on this earth?
Through the gospel we understand why God allow sinners to live. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him”. To affirm this statement the prophet Ezekiel 33: 11 he says that “Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” So dear friends God takes good people to be with him and leaves all the evil people on this earth so that we might turn from our evil ways and return to the Lord. So God allows all the evil to live on this earth.
Why do we want turn from our evil ways?
Through the second reading St. Paul insists us why we want to turn from our evil ways that that “brethren mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and turn from your evil ways so that the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”. In the beginning the Triune God has created us in his own image and likeness but in course of time we have lost his image by way of our sinful deeds so to restore again the nature of Triune God He tells us I am with you till the end of the world.
How do we understand the presence of Triune God in our lives?
01. The presence of Triune God is with the People who live happy life
In the beginning of the mass I have asked you all ‘are you all happy?’ how many people responded to it. It is only few people responded. Being in the presence of God people are not able to feel happy, they look dull, they are sad, just look at the face of your neighbours. In the presence of God David Danced, people sung joyful songs, but if you are sad then there is no presence of God in your lives.
02. The presence of Triune God is with the People who turn from evil ways
In the bus stand we see so many buses. If you want to go to Chennai you have get in Chennai bus only. In the same way if your ways are good you reap good results. If your ways are good you are in the presence of Triune God. If your ways are evil then you do not have the presence of God.
03. The presence of Triune God is with the People who heed to God’s Word
From the time of creation God speaks in so many ways. How many people heed to his word. God warned Adam and Eve, people of Israel yet all of them failed to listen but on the contrary people who have heeded to the words of God received bountiful blessings. Ex: Abraham, the prophets, Mother Mary ect. Listened to God you will be in the presence of God also you may receive bountiful blessings.
04. The presence of Triune God is with the People who live in harmony
Though we have heard so many phrases like ‘unity is strength’, ‘in unity we achieve many things’ yet it is difficult to practice in our lives. But as we celebrate the feast of the Triune God They are always united. There is no division among them. Hence this feast invites us to live in harmony. Today in how many families people live together with parents, grandparents with children etc.
05. The presence of Triune God is with the People who live in Peace
Dear friends, our God is God of peace. Jesus brought peace into the world. ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favours’. Also during His life on earth He thought his dispels about peace. Also after the resurrection he addressed his disciples ‘peace be with you’. Hence following the instruction of Triune God the Catholic Church too every now and then calls all his faithful to pray for the peace. For example on Thursday Pope Francis invited all the faithful to pray for peace. So dear friends our God is God of peace. How many people prayed for peace on that day? How many families in peace? Do our hearts rest in peace? Hence, the presence of Triune God rests with the People who live in peace.
Once St Augustine wanted to understand the mystery of God and the Holy Trinity. As he was thinking near the sea shore he finds a little boy, who was bringing the water from the ocean in a shell and pouring it in a hole. St Augustine got surprised and asked the little boy. What are you doing? The boy replied that he will empty the ocean water by filling it in the hole. How can this be this possible St Augustine asked? The boy said you are trying to understand the mystery of God the Holy Trinity with your little mind, how can be that possible?. After saying this boy disappeared.
Yes dear friends, let us experience and taste the powerful presence of God in our lives. Instead of having so many questions in our mind, let us deeply desire to pray and taste the love of God.
May this feast of Holy Trinity inspire us to live in UNION WITH GOD, ONSELF, WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE MOTHER NATURE with love and friendship.
Happy Feast of Holy Trinity to all.
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