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THE TRINITY IS OUR LIFE By Rev Fr Victor Ibiyemi


MAY 27, TRINITY SUNDAY- DEUTERONOMY 4:32-34, 39-40, PSALM 33, ROMANS 8:14-17, REVELATION 1:8, MATTHEW 28:16-20. 

Today the Church celebrates the central mystery of the Christian faith and life. The Mystery of God himself. The source of all other mysteries, the light that enlightens them. The most fundamental and essential teaching in the “hierarchy of the truths of faith” (CCC 234). The three readings this morning speak about the Trinity. The first speaks about the greatness and majesty of God the Father as the Israelites understood at that time. The Second reading speaks of the works of the Spirit of God in believers. 

In the Gospel, Christ, the Son of God, commissioned the Apostles to evangelise the earth baptising them in the name of the Trinity. What more do we need to say about the Trinity? For the sake of those who do not still believe, what is the Trinity? The Doctrine of the Most Blessed Trinity summarily teaches that: 1) There is only ONE GOD. 2) There are Three PERSONS in ONE GOD. 3) The Three PERSONS are One God, Co-EQUAL and CO-ETERNAL. How so? In explaining the Trinity, we must understand the use of three important (philosophical) words. 

They are Substance, Person and Relation. 1) The Trinity is ONE because the Persons share the same SUBSTANCE (Essence, Being). Simply put, they have the same Nature- the DIVINE NATURE! 2) The term PERSON is used to designate the REAL DISTINCTION among them! “The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, The Son is not the Spirit, the Father is not the Spirit. Because, they are distinct in terms of their relations of ORIGIN. 3) The term RELATION shows that their distinction is seen in the relationship of each to the others. But where is all these in the scriptures? Right from the Old Testament (Opens the understanding/development of the God-Revelation), Genesis 1:1 (The Word Elohim), Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 19:24, Isaiah 48:16. Very abundant in the New Testament via Matthew 28:19, John 1:1, Galatians 1:1, John 20:28, Acts 5:3-4, (in the Christophanies- Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 9: 6-8, Luke 1:35, Philippians 2:6-11, I Peter 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, (In Salutations- Ephesians 4:4-6, 2 Corinthians 13:13, I Corinthians 12:4-6 and many more). Of what importance then is this doctrine to our lives? Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). 

We must therefore be Trinitarian in our lives. How? 1.) God is a family, a community of persons-God is not solitary, God is not lonely, do not be too! 2) Unity in the Trinity- We must emulate the absolute Unity in the Trinity 3) The Beauty of the Individual Person. In the Distinction of Persons, we see the beauty and necessity of the Persons in the Trinity- so too, our communion must not swallow the beauty of our individual identities 4) The Perfect Reciprocal Relationship in the Trinity is a model for us on how to relate perfectly in our own communities. 5) Perfect Obedience and humility. As we reflect on the Trinity, may we receive the Trinitarian Grace to live in Unity, Love and humility like the Most Blessed Trinity. Amen!

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