I like that analogy.
The substitute priest we had today is a diocesan priest who teaches at Mount Angel.
He also is in charge of placement of the intern years for seminarians and the practicum year for deacons.
Our priest trains deacons who are out of our diocese. We have had deacons from Fresno, Idaho, New Mexico and will be getting another out-of-the-diocese deacon this year.
As he complimented parishioners and our absent priest I envisioned the three parts of the Trinity in those placements.
Father — Priest in charge of the Deacon
Son — the Deacon
Holy Spirit — our parishioners who critique the Deacon’s homilies and other parishioners who support him in other ways.
It’s not as good as the apple pie analogy above, but it’s three individual parts working together in harmony as the Deacon grows toward being ordained into the priesthood.
The amazing thing about the pie analogy is that totally by chance, the dessert at the very next meal happened to be apple pie.