God is love. That is why we can say that the Bible is but a long love story between him and his bride, that is his people. Since the beginning of creation, he professed his love for his people and he promised that he will do so until his bride is totally united with him forever. And as he profess and express his love for his people, he reveals himself as one loving God in three Divine Persons--- the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Is he not your Father who created you, who made you and established you?' (Deuteronomy 32:6) God reveals himself as a loving Father to his chosen people, Israel. God created man in his own image and likeness. (Genesis 1:27) And he continue to love him even though he sinned. God continually took care of him and his descendants. He chastises him when they have done wrong in order for them to turn back from the slavery and harmful effects of sin. If man chooses evil, he chooses several persons and set them aside to be an agent of change such as in the case of Noah. Furthermore, he made lasting covenants to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and he continually fulfills his promise. When his people are threatened with slavery, he saves them from their enemies. He chose Moses to lead the people from slavery of Egypt to freedom. He works wonders so that their enemies will see to their shame that a Great God is with his people. He gave the law to Moses as an instruction and as an ideal way of life for the people. He feeds them and provides their needs even though many times they rebel against them and refused to heed his ways. And when the Israelites already settled in the land of promise, they always forget God's commandments so he sends judges, kings and prophets to serve and lead his people and to remind them of God's ways. But the more servants God sends, the more his people turn away from him.
The fullness of time has arrived when God sends his Son. (Galatians 4:4a) He reveals himself as a God made flesh in order to be with man and for man to know and love him more. The Word was made flesh and made his dwelling among us, we have seen his glory as an only Son coming from the Father, filled with grace and truth. In his fullness we have all received one grace coming after another. The law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is only the Son who is at the Father's side has made him known. (John 1:14.16-18)
Yet, the world and even his chosen people did not know him. They even condemned him for speaking for the truth about God. Their hearts have been stubborn to accept and understand the fullness of his covenant. They condemned the Light by nailing him on the cross. However, the Light emerged again one Sunday morning and promised an everlasting Day to the world.
Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. (Acts 2:33) The Holy Spirit which proceeds from the Father and the Son came and remains an active presence of God in the Church, which is the new Israel. God's holy people were added from all over the world. Through the zeal given to the chosen apostles whose power has been given in every place and in every generation.
The Holy Trinity is about God who loves, who expressed his love and continually reminds his people of that love. That is why the mystery of the Holy Trinity is the center of Christian faith and life. That is why in every prayer and in every undertaking, we always make the sign of the cross while saying: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In Liturgy of the Hours, we always end each psalm and canticle with Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And in every sacrament, the minister always invoke the name of the Three Persons. That is what Jesus commanded his disciples: Make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:16) And the apostles and even today, the misters of the Church always invoke the name of the Three Persons to bestow their blessing like what Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:13)
Let me end my reflection in a story: A skilled boy made a toy boat. It was the most beautiful he had made so far. It was wonderfully made that if you will look at it, it seems to be an expensive toy that can be bought in a shop. One day, he let it flow on a river and it got lost. He searched for it and after a week, he saw it on a toy shop. he was sure that it was the boat that he had made. He told the owner but he would not listen. So he just decided to buy the boat back. Once he had it back, he said: "Now this boat belongs to me twice. I made it and I bought it back."
We are more fortunate than the boat since God not only made us and bought us back through Jesus but he also consecrated us to himself through the Holy Spirit. We belong to God three times. And when we were baptized, we acknowledge our belonging to God who reveals himself as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The same with all the sacraments and every time we pray, we are ushered into the communion of the Three persons. We are at the center of their loving relationship.
As I can see it, our community is an image of the Blessed Trinity. We are composed of core group, the ministries and organizations. Like the Trinity, we are challenged to be of intimacy to one another. We must have that communion like the Divine Persons, who in the midst of diversity, united in love. Every decision that they make is not just by one but by three of them. And they are always present in every work that they do--- in creation, redemption and sanctification. They are always united and their plans always succeed. As image of the Trinity, we are challenged to do the same.
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