—Gospel of John, chapter sixteen

The Trinity, three persons in one God, is the most basic teaching of the Christian faith. It is a mystery, as well it should be, that reveals the universal influence and love of God.

This teaching is found in the New Testament Bible, and is nowhere more clearly stated than in the gospel of John, chapter sixteen. Although the trinity is a mystery, this does not mean we cannot learn from it. After all, Jesus talks about the persons of the trinity constantly. He talks about His relationship with the Father in Heaven (John 6:38), whose will He came on earth to do, and about His relationship with the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) who guides us and leads us to a greater understanding of His teaching.

The trinity is a mystery that keeps on giving because its riches and depths are inexhaustible.

In this message, I will endeavor to share an appreciation of how each of the divine persons influences our lives.

So, let’s begin with God, the Father.

God as Father embraces all of God’s children whether they be Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim or even Agnostic. As believers in the Fatherhood of God, we are called to respect and love all of God’s people irrespective of religious denomination, creed, social origin or background. God as Father reveals himself to us in nature, in the wonderful cycle of the seasons, in the gift of humanity, in the lives of saints and prophets, in the discoveries of the human intellect, in the divine light of conscience shining within us. The forty six books of the Old Testament Bible deal with salvation history and recount the deeds of God the Father for his chosen people, culminating in the ten commandments.

The second person of the Trinity is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The twenty seven books of the New Testament deal with the life and teachings of our Savior, Jesus Christ who enables every Christian to offer genuine witness of his or her love of God. Since the Christian believes in Christ, he or she will be impelled to give expression to that belief by example modeled on the life of Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.. To follow Christ is to enlarge our appreciation of the Trinity by relating to each other in the best possible way as followers of the Son. Christ came into this world to save us from sin, to redeem our human nature, and to show us the Way.

The Holy Spirit as the third person of the trinity raises our appreciation of God to another level. The Holy Spirit has been described by Christ in the gospels as the spirit of Truth (John 16:13), who will teach us those things that we still must know. The work of the Holy Spirit among the people of God is progressive and leads to a more profound appreciation of the faith. We do not know everything there is to know about God because God is a mystery. The Holy Spirit is there to enlighten us whenever the need and occasion arises. This is a wonderful truth, a truth that should make us humble and grateful. The Holy Spirit is working through the ecumenical movement that strives to create bridges between different faiths and denominations. The Holy Spirit is active in the social and healing ministry of committed Christians, and always in the lives of good Christians who, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strive to understand the word of God better and apply it to their lives.

Let us never forget that when we discuss any of the persons of the Holy Trinity we are, by implication, talking of the fullness of the Godhead in all three persons.

May our lives reflect a deeper appreciation of the mystery of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

—Fr. Hugh Duffy