“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.” (Matthew 28:19)

The solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, also known as Trinity Sunday, celebrates the Christian dogma of the Most Holy Trinity, a dogma enunciated by the ecumenical councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, that there are three distinct “Persons” in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, sharing the same Divine Nature.

This mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is a basic dogma of our faith, understandable not with our heads, but with our hearts because Jesus who is God taught it clearly, the Evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it, and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian faith.

All prayers in the Church begin and end in the Name of the Most Holy Trinity and glorify God with that Name. All seven sacraments of the Church (e.g. baptism, confirmation, the holy Eucharist, marriage, holy order, penance, and anointing of the sick) are administered in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Our Church reminds us to pray to the Most Holy Trinity. We bless ourselves and the priest blesses us in the name of the Most Holy Trinity.

In the Old Testament, there are only vague and hidden references to the Most Holy Trinity (e.g. Genesis 1:26, Genesis 18:2…). But in the New Testament, there are clear teachings on the Most Holy Trinity. For example: (1) at the Annunciation, (2) at Christ’s baptism, (3) at the Ascension of the Lord.

In John’s Gospel chapters 15 to 18, there is a detailed account of the Lord’s teaching of the role of each “Person” of the Most Holy Trinity: (1) God the Father creates (Creator) and provides (Provider) for His creatures. (2) God the Son redeems us (Redeemer) and reconciles (Reconciler) us with God. (3) God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us (Sanctifier), strengthens us, teaches (Counselor) and guides us to God.

Thus, today’s celebration teaches us the fundamental mystery that the Triune God reaches out to us in love, seeking the deepest communion with each one of us and invites us to live in the awareness of the divine presence of the Triune God within us.

How can we imitate the Holy Trinity as our model, living in and practicing Christian faith, hope and love?

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.