Holy Trinity Homily
Why do we do it? Why did I do it? We ask someone a question, knowing already what the answer is? That is what I did the other day. I was speaking with a very good friend about covid 19 and the civil unrest that is around us. With the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity in the forefront of my mind, I asked him, “Do you think the Trinity tires of us?” Without time to even contemplate the question, the reply was simple… “No.” I knew the answer too… Never! No matter what!
Today we celebrate the great mystery of the Trinity. Father Son and Spirit, all working as the One and the same. The One God who loved us before we were made… the One who knit us together in our mother’s womb (Jer1:5)… the one who loves us more than a woman loves her baby (Isa 49:15). The One, as we we heard in the conversation with Moses in the first reading… who despite our “stiff necked ways… pardons us of our faults and failures and loves us so much that we inherits eternal life.” The One made up of Father, Son and Spirit loves us beyond all telling despite the racism that plagues our earth; despite the unjust that we show to others; despite the rage we express in our conversations or in our actions; despite the violence that we dished out without consideration of repercussions;
In the Second Reading Paul is speaking to a community struggling to unite and so he gives it to them (and us) straight up… short and pithy response: “Brothers and sisters, put things in order… live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss…” Paul speaks of our God who constantly encourages us; strengthens us; loves us beyond all telling. But in order for this to take root, we need to open our hearts to the gift of God’s grace that is so freely given to each of us.
In the Gospel, Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus those familiar words that humanity can remember. “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.” There it is! God does not tire of us or the silly things that we do, the sins we commit, the failure to act positively. Look at the positive stories that we hear of people going beyond themselves to help others during this time of unrest. Last week, volunteers who worked so hard on short notice to ensure our parish would be open for some to attend Mass and then, last minute have it all cancelled. The ‘check in’ phone calls we receive from relatives and friends to ensure we are okay; or those who wait patiently for the day that they can visit our loved ones and offer ‘physical touch or hug’; or those who know when to call when we are feeling our lowest; or our graduates who have been denied their convocations because of public safety (the class of 2020 will never be forgotten) or those on the line works who continue to serve us, including scientists who are working so diligently all over the world to find a vaccine for covid 19. These are all examples of “Trinity” or “God’s Love” at work in and around us, no matter what!
Going back to that question, “Does the Trinity ever tire of us?” No… Never… And why did I ask it, knowing the answer? Perhaps I just needed to hear again the core dogma of our faith: “God so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.”