St. Jude Catholic Church

Trinity Sunday
after reading: Dt 4:32-40; Ps 33; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20

We have the words we say when we make the sign of the cross straight out of Matthew's gospel: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit - always reminding us of the Trinity. It's such a constant truth, a basic truth to our faith. We profess belief in the Trinity every Sunday at Mass when we make our profession of faith. "We believe in one God." And every time there's a baptism, and we're reminded of our baptismal promises: "Do you believe in God, the Father almighty? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" And every year at this time, we set aside one Sunday to think about what it means that God is a Trinity of Father, Son, and Spirit.

We believe in one God who is three persons. One God who has one divine power. But one God whose love has begotten a divine Son and whose love is breathed out in a divine Spirit. One God who we know as love. And in God's very nature, we find love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What does it mean when we say that God is love?

It doesn't just mean that God loves us. It means that before we existed, before anything was created, God was love. And that love couldn't be contained. That love created a world. And that love became man to save us from our sins. And that love remains always watching over us, inspiring us to know God deeper, and helping us follow Him closer.

When we look at the Trinity, we see how love binds together three persons to make perfect unity. And we see that perfect love that stretches out to us too. As St. Paul says, "You received a spirit of adoption, through whom we cry ‘Abba, Father.' " That love that binds all into one, has adopted us into His family, has extended the offer to hold us as close as children, joint heirs with Christ.

Our belief in the Trinity calls us to recognize the unity God intends for all of creation. Out of love, He created all this. Out of love, He wants us to care for all this. God didn't need to create the world. But he did, because He wants to give of Himself. If we're going to answer that call to be His children, then we need to give of ourselves too. We need to allow that divine love to flow through us.

God doesn't call us to act independently, doing our own thing, doing whatever we feel like doing. Look at the example of His Son, who always followed the Father's will, who said, "Not my will, but yours be done."

We need to allow God's will to be our will. We need to allow God's spirit to be our spirit. We need to allow God's love to be our love. Then we'll experience that unity with Christ that allows us to be adopted as children of God.

As Moses says in our first reading, "Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of?" That the almighty God, the creator of all, would adopt us as His own? Would invite us to share in that amazing love that he shows us in the Trinity?

And if you have received this invitation, how will you respond to God's love? How will you unite yourself to God's will? How will you allow God's blessings to be on you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?