Today’s verse is the mysterious flip side of the age old creed of Israel, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Dt 6:4). The assumption had always been that God was “One” in the sense of solitary, awful and alone above all the cosmos. But in these few simple and impenetrable words, Jesus declared to His startled hearers that God was most deeply “one” in the way a family is “one.” He is three distinct persons Who are one in being, not three gods but One. His Oneness is not the oneness of isolation, but the oneness of Love. Praise God for the mystery of His Trinitarian love!
Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
