Sunday 16th
June, 2019. Proverbs
8:22-31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5 and John 16:12-15)_
_*“I
have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the
Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:12-13)*_
In our
celebration today, we shall try to answer one simple question: “Who is God?” As
simple as this question appears, the answer might be so complex that even the
person attempting to provide the answer may not even understand what he or she
is saying. We can actually spend five hours talking about God as Father, Son
and Holy Spirit and still many of us would say: “Father, what have you really
said?”
Jesus
Christ understood this complexity perfectly and that is why he said in today’s
Gospel passage: “I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them
now,” meaning, “you cannot understand everything I want to tell you.” Jesus
then went on to say: “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into
all truth.” That is to say, if we want to understand Trinity, we only need to
listen to the Holy Spirit and this brings us to our lessons for today
*Lesson
One: God is Too Great to be understood by Humans.*
Hear what Saint
Columbanus has to say concerning the Trinity: “Who is God? He is Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, one God. Seek no further concerning God; for those who wish to
know the great deep must first review the natural world. For knowledge of the
Trinity is properly likened to the depths of the Sea, according to that saying
of the Sage: And the great deep, who shall fathom it? Since, just as the depth
of the sea is invisible to human sight, even so the godhead of the Trinity is
found to be unknowable by human senses.”
That is to
say, there is no way I can explain how there are three persons in just one God
in a way that you will understand. So instead of attempting to explain, I can tell
you why it is impossible to explain: God is greater than what our human brain
can carry. Don’t try to understand the Trinity, just believe it. God is both
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our Psalmist today sings: “O Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is your name through all the earth.” God is just too much!
*Lesson Two:
The Trinity teaches us Unity.*
There are
three persons perfectly united in one God. This is a mystery we cannot
understand but we can learn from. God as Trinity, teaches us to live in harmony
with one another seeing each other as part of us and ourselves as part of one
another. What makes this unity possible?
*Consultation.*
At Creation, God spoke: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;…” (Genesis 1:26). Our first reading from the
book of Proverbs centres on this creation account of Genesis. It speaks of how
God as Father was not alone while forming the heavens and the earth. Never
think you can succeed or survive alone. No one is an island. Even God is a
community of three persons. Always consult others in whatever you want to do. As
a Christian community, we can only stay united when we constantly talk with one
another and discuss our plans. Keeping malice or staying away from zonal
meetings or societal gatherings is inimical to our progress as a people.
*Collaboration.* When Mary was asked Angel Gabriel how she was
going to become the mother of Jesus Christ, he said: “The Holy Spirit (God the
Spirit), will come upon you, and the power of the Most High (God the Father)
will overshadow you; therefore the child (God the Son) to be born will be
called holy, the Son of God. (Luke 1: 35). The Trinity works together, each
person playing their part in bringing about the mission at hand. We see this
perfect collaboration (team spirit) at the baptism of Jesus. God the Son rising
from the water, God the Holy Spirit present in the form of a dove and God the
Father spoke: ““This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew
3:17)
This is the beauty of team spirit. Life itself is one big collaboration.
The plants around us, the trees, the rivers etc. are all playing their part to
ensure our survival. We need them and they need us. There is no limit to what
we can achieve as when we all decide to play our part and work for the common
good.
*Contentment.* In describing the Holy Spirit, Jesus says: “he will not
speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak… He will
glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14). You see, there is a perfect
sense of contentment in the Trinity. None of the three persons is trying to
take the place of another. There is no competition, no politics, no
back-biting. None is thinking about who gets the glory.
*Lesson Three: God allows Suffering in our Life for a Purpose.*
Our third and final lesson today comes from our second reading.
Here St. Paul teaches us not to be discouraged by whatever suffering we are
faced with in life. In fact, St. Paul says we should rejoice in our sufferings because
suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces
hope and hope does not disappoint us. This is so true!
If things are rough for you today, don’t worry, don’t give up, don’t
think of suicide, you are only passing through a stage. Tough times don’t last,
tough people, do. I will leave you with the words of
Hebrews 12:5-7 “My son, do not regard
lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by
him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom
he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you
as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?”
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach
me to live with others just as you live in perfect harmony with the Father and
the Spirit in one God. Amen.
*Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live
Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Trinity Sunday.
Year C. Bible Study: Proverbs
8:22-31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5 and John 16:12-15).
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