TRINITY:

SERMON # 123

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 7^th Monday after Easter is, “Trinity: Sermon #123.”

It could be just  as easy to entitle this homily, “Trinity: Sermon #321.”

Translation: This is just one more homily on The Trinity - one of many - down through the years. How many? I have no idea.

St. Patrick in talking about the Trinity - said, “It’s like a shamrock: three leaves, one shamrock.”

That’s simplicity - an image like a triangle: three corners - one triangle.

I’m willing to guess that we’ve all heard at least a dozen times the legend about St. Augustine and the little boy at the beach. Augustine was working on a document - on the Trinity for 30 years.  He’s down at the seashore walking along on the beach - at the edge of the water - thinking about how to put into words who and how the Trinity is. He spots a little kid bringing water in a seashell from the sea and then pouring the water into a hole.

Augustine asks the kid, “What are you doing?”

He answers, “Putting the whole ocean in this hole.”

Augustine says, “You’ll never finish. It’s impossible.”

Boy answers, “It would be easier for me to do this than for you to explain the Trinity.”

And Augustine closes his eyes to think about what this little kid just said. Then when he opens his eyes the little boy has disappeared.

It’s a legend - but a good one.

OUR GOD: THE TRINITY

The Christian theology of God as Trinity - is based on the arrival of Christ - coming into our lives - into our time-  and it says that God is One - but God is also  Three Persons. We call them Father - Son and Holy Spirit.

After that we really don’t know.

Will we grasp how God is God in eternity - or will it take an eternity to grasp and understand God?

Is that heaven - entering into God - becoming God?

We have to die to find out.

Is prayer - entering into God - becoming God in God?

Is that prayer  - here and hereafter?

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings provoke this Sermon # 123.

The first reading  brings us to the Holy Spirit question.

Many people basically are saying what people in today’s first reading are saying, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Many people make the sign of the cross: “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” - when they walk into church - when they attend a baptism - when they enter into prayer - yet still don’t think of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Many people don’t know Jesus Christ beyond his humanness - as we hear in today’s gospel.

In fact, the gospel of John is the gospel that talks about the Trinity the most.  We hear Jesus telling us he is simply re-telling what the Father has taught him.

Many people say all religions are the same. There are lots of similarities - the Golden Rule etc. - but we are very different - those who believe in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and those who don’t.

CONCLUSION

We’re about to get to Pentecost and the Feast of the Holy Trinity.

Keep your mind open to ponder on these things. Start by making the sign of the Cross - slowly - slowly praying to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit - to God as Trinity.

Listen to the connection between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Walk the beach with these images and thoughts. Let the Ocean of God fill all the empty holes within your spirit.