(The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at the Mass for the Most Holy Trinity at St. Thomas More Cathedral in Arlington on June 6.)
Today's Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity focuses our attention on the central mystery of the Christian faith and life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states clearly: “'The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity'” (No. 232). “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is, therefore, the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them” (No. 234).
Basic questions find their answer in this core mystery of the Christian faith. Who is God? Who are we? How should we live?
Who is God? The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity proclaims that there is One God in three Divine Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Obviously, we could have never known that the One God is a “Community” of Three Persons except through God's making this known to us through His Revelations. Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, who came among us, having taken up our human nature, reveals to us the mystery of the Trinity. Jesus clearly tells us that He is the only-begotten Son of the Father and that He and the Father send us the Holy Spirit. Yes, from all eternity, God is — One in Three, a “Community” of Divine Persons.
Who, then, are we? Through Baptism, we are “'a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit'” (No. 810). Therefore, we share in the life of the Trinity. As we were reminded in today's second reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans, “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Yes, from Baptism onwards, provided that we remain in the state of grace, we are alive with God's own life within us. What dignity has been given to us! How much respect we need to give to one another! The life of the Triune God is our life, too! As the Catechism reaffirms, “By the grace of Baptism 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' we are called to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity, here on earth in the obscurity of faith, and after death in eternal light (cf Paul VI, CPG, para. 9)” (No. 265).
How, then, should we live, since we share the very life of the Blessed Trinity? First of all, we should live as people who show gratitude to God for the marvelous gift He gives us in sharing His life. We belong to God in truly a unique way, not only as His creatures, but infinitely more as His sons and daughters, sharing His very life. We can never be grateful enough! In every Mass in which we participate, we give thanks to God for His calling us to such intimacy. “Father, all powerful and everliving God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord” (cf. Preface of Sundays in Ordinary Time l). The question remains: are we grateful?
We should live as a people seeking the truth. Jesus promises us in today's gospel: “But when He comes, the Spirit of truth, He will guide you to all truth.” Indeed, Jesus Himself is the Truth. How much in our time do we need to know the truth, so that we can live in justice and in peace, respecting one another from the first moment of life at conception until the last moment of natural death! Yes, how much do we need to live by the truth as we study and witness to all the life issues and to the sanctity of marriage as the union of one man and one woman! The questions remains: are we seeking the truth?
We should live as a people deserving to be holy. God calls us to be holy, precisely because He shares with us His very life. We need to become more like Christ in our daily living. The Holy Spirit's role is to help us become like Jesus by forming within us His image and likeness. In prayer, in the celebration of the Sacraments, in our reflection on God's Word, the Holy Spirit deepens our union with the Lord Jesus, Who leads us closer to the Father. Yes, we must desire to become holier day by day. The question remains: are we desiring holiness?
Today's Opening Prayer helps us to recommit ourselves to seeking the truth and to desiring holiness. “Father, you sent Your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy. Through them we come to know the mystery of your life. Help us to worship you, one God in Three Persons, by proclaiming and living our faith in you.” With grateful hearts for being given God's very life, let us daily in concrete and specific ways seek the truth and desire holiness. In a word, let us reclaim and deepen God's calling to us to live as a people reflecting the unity of the Trinity, because that is who we are: people formed in the image of the Triune God, Who is One and Three. To Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be glory and praise now and forever and ever. Amen!
