First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40

Reflection:

This Sunday’s first reading speaks of the time of the Exodus. The Israelites had been enslaved by the Egyptians for 400 years. Then, God raised up Moses to lead the people to freedom. Through many manifestations of God’s power to the Egyptians (i.e. the Ten Plagues), the Israelites were set free from slavery and began their sojourn to the Promised Land. Here, Moses was reminding them of the faithfulness and greatness of God. He emphasized that their God is the one, true God. He is “God in the heavens above and on the earth below, and…there is no other [God].” Moses lived in a world of rampant polytheism (the belief in many gods). In fact, the Egyptians had a god for just about everything. Yet, the Israelites were monotheistic (believing in only one god). As Christians, we are too. In fact, we believe in the same God as the Israelites and hold that He is the one and only true God. What makes us different from our Jewish brothers and sisters? We believe that Jesus is the Messiah and through Him came the revelation that the one, true God is a Trinity of three persons. It is that unique teaching of Christianity that we celebrate this Sunday. There is one God, but He exists in three, distinct persons. God has always been a Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but this truth only became evident to humanity with the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Second Reading: Romans 8:14-17

Reflection:

The one, true God, who we celebrate this Sunday as a Trinity of love, invites us into a relationship with Him. The doctrine of the Trinity teaches us that God is a relationship of perfect love between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity welcomes us as sons and daughters into this family communion of love. This Sunday’s second reading reminds us of our identity as Christians: we are children of God. The distinguishing mark of this sonship is the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. The Spirit dwells within us and He leads us into deeper communion with the Trinity. Thus, we can call out to God, “Abba, Father!” As a perfect father, God leads us into good things. He wants to shower blessings upon us. Will we listen to our Father’s voice? Or will we be rebellious children doing whatever we want to do in the moment? God invites us to love Him in response to His love for us. Jesus, who is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, became man and died so that this would be possible. Jesus died so we could have a relationship with love itself—the Trinity. As sons and daughters of God, we have an inheritance coming our way, for we are heirs of the kingdom of God. What is our inheritance? Heaven—an eternity of perfect communion with God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)! This inheritance is a gift from God, one that is accepted through our faithful obedience to Him.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:16-20

Reflection:

This Sunday’s gospel reading recounts the Ascension of Jesus as recorded by Matthew. We just celebrated the Ascension of the Lord a couple weeks ago while still in the Easter season. Why, then, does this reading occur on this Sunday? It is because of the explicit reference to the Trinity made by Jesus in some of His last words before ascending. Jesus instructed the Apostles to baptize in “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This directive is why baptisms have always been administered using this exact Trinitarian formula. These words may seem familiar and straightforward enough, but they are packed with meaning and mystery. They profess our fundamental belief that there is one God who exists in three distinct persons. The Trinity can be a confusing doctrine of our faith. It is, in fact, what we call a mystery (i.e. something we cannot fully understand). This is because God is infinite and, therefore, beyond our finite comprehension. If we could fully understand God, then that would make us equal to or greater than God. Still, that does not mean we are totally in the dark. God has revealed Himself to us and the Church has preserved and sought to understand that revelation through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

So, what can we know? First, there is only one God. We profess this every time we begin the creed: “I believe in one God…” We do not worship three different gods. Second, this one God is not solitary but is, in His essence, a communion of persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each fully God. Third, these three persons are distinct from one another. The Father is not the same as the Son and the Son is not the same as the Holy Spirit, etc. Fourth, these three divine persons are one in substance. As we say in the creed, the Son is “consubstantial” (i.e. one in being) with the Father. Is your head spinning yet? Remember that the Trinity is a mystery. We’re not supposed to fully understand this truth, but we are called to embrace it, and to seek to personally know God through a relationship with the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is a relationship of love and He invites to be a part of that divine communion. Will you respond with a ‘yes’ to this divine invitation?

Application:

  • This Sunday we reflect on how great and beyond our comprehension is our God. At the same time, we recognize His closeness to us. He is transcendent (beyond us) but also immanent (close to us). God has revealed His very nature as the Trinity and invites us into a relationship with Him—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is seeking you. Will you seek Him?