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A COMPLEX MYSTERY

(A biblical refection on THE HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY, 26^th of May 2013)

Gospel Reading: John 16:12-15

First Reading: Prov 8:22-31; Psalms: Ps 8:4-9; Second Reading: Rom 5:1-5

The Scripture Text

“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; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (Jn 16:12-15 RSV)

The TRINITY is a complex mystery. Who among us will ever be able to unravel the intricacies of a God who is both One and yet three divine Persons? And Yet the Trinity is the central tenet of our faith. Our very existence is bound up with this mysterious, triune God. So here’s the greatest of all mysteries relating to the Trinity: How can anyone really experience a loving relationship with someone they can barely fathom?

It appears that even after living with Jesus for three whole years, the apostles weren’t in any better position than we are. At the Last Supper, after Jesus had told them that He was the way to the Father, Thomas said: “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how can we know the way?” (Jn 14:5). Then Philip chimed in: “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied” (Jn 14:8).

No matter how much they loved Jesus, the apostles ended up admitting: “We do not know what He means” (Jn 16:18). And isn’t that very encouraging? Like the apostles, we may know precious little about God and His nature and His ways, but our lack of understanding does not have to keep us from experiencing His love, grace, and power to our lives.

This is the very reason why Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit: so that He could bring us into the heart of the triune God (Jn 16:15). It is the Holy Spirit’s deepest desire to flood our hearts with the Father’s love and with the mercy and power of His risen Son. As we become caught up in this love, we cannot help but begin to understand God a little bit more. And that little bit of understanding moves us to want to become more like Him. May we never underestimate what God can do for those who love Him and seek Him!

Prayer: Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God, grant us in our misery that we may do for Your sake alone what we know you want us to do, and always want what pleases You; so that, cleansed and enlightened interiorly and fired with the ardour of the Holy Spirit, we may be able to follow in the footsteps of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and so make our way to You, Most High, by Your grace alone, You who live and reign in perfect Trinity and simple Unity, and are glorified, God all-powerful, for ever and ever. Amen. [St. Francis of Assisi]

A Christian Pilgrim

CHRISTIAN PRAYER

(A biblical refection on THE HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY, 26^th of May 2013)

First Reading: Prov 8:22-31; Psalms: Ps 8:4-9; Second Reading: Rom 5:1-5; Gospel Reading: John 16:12-15

Today’s Gospel is taken from the last supper discourse when Jesus spoke of His impending return to the Father. His physical departure would not leave the disciples orphaned or bereft of His presence; rather, it would open up a new mode of divine presence. The Holy Spirit would come into the minds and hearts of the disciples in what can best be called a new creation.

Trinity Sunday is an opportunity to consider the vital movement of all Christian prayer and of the liturgy in particular. We cannot appreciate what liturgy is about without some understanding of the inner movements of divine life. Jesus described His mission as a journey down into our world and then back up in a return to the Father. “I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I leave the world to go to the Father.” (John 16:28). There is no other way to the Father but through the Son’s return. We are privileged to share in that return by the power of the Holy Spirit given to us. “When the Spirit of truth comes He will lead you to the complete truth” (John 16:13). The essence of Christian prayer is our sharing in the return of glory to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In particular, the Eucharistic liturgy is the living remembrance of Jesus Christ, who was the Word of God touching the lowest areas of human life, even death in disgrace, out of which He rose and returned to the Father. At Mass, the mind listens to the word of God in the readings. In the light of the word, the needs of the community are gathered together in the petitions of the faithful. Bread and wine are prepared as gifts to symbolise the return of our lives and of all creation to the Father. Then in the solemn words and actions of the Eucharistic prayer the journey of the Word down into our world and back to the Father is remembered. And in the biblical sense, to remember God’s actions is to make them present again. The ceremony reaches a climax of intimacy in holy communion.

Our arms would never be long enough to stretch across the infinite space to heaven. Nor would we ever be worthy to show our faces before the all holy face of God. But the Son has reached down in mercy to us: and the Spirit of uniting love has raised us up. And so, in the light of the Son’s teaching and in the power of the Spirit we have the courage to utter the essential word of Christian prayer; “Father.” “The Spirit Himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God …… ant it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Romans 8:15).

Christian prayer is unto the glory of the Father: it is a movement undertaken in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son: and it is only through the power of the Spirit that is given to us that we are raised up in mind and heart to share in this movement. This movement of prayer is seen in its purity in the liturgical remembrance of Jesus Christ. Glory be to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Note: Taken from Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFMCap., THE GOOD NEWS OF LUKE’S YEAR, Dublin, Ireland: Cathedral Books/The Columbia Press, Revised Edition, 1991 (1994 reprinting), pages 107-108.