Gospel • John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” He wields the sickle at once, for the harrables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

The Trinity, an integral

unity of love

What is common among the words “complete,” “total,” “comprehensive,” “holistic,” “integral” and their related words? It is the idea of completeness, of wholeness, of totality, and not just partial or lacking. This, we believe, can also be a way of looking at the meaning of the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity that we celebrate today: The total, complete, perfect, love of the Triune God towards humanity through the three Persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In a sense, these three (Persons) manifest the three “faces” of the Triune God who shows total and perfect love towards humanity.

The Father is recognized as the Creator and sustainer of everything that is. He is the Father of all creation. And, as we experience in our own human fathers, God the Father provides and cares for us, not allowing us to be overcome by evil but protects and defends us, always leading us back to himself when we are astray.

Like our human father, too, God the Father disciplines us when we need to be disciplined, not in the spirit of mere punishment but in order to correct us and put us back on the right track. God the Father envelops us with his mighty power but also with his tender and forgiving embrace. God the Son, Jesus, is our Teacher, our Master, our Savior, who gave his life for us. Seeing the world immersed in sin and in the grip of evil, he came down and became like us.

Paradoxically, while he had to learn to become fully human, he also showed what it is to be truly human. He showed us the value of simplicity and humility of life. He showed us the dignity of human labor by serving and ministering to people with various needs, his whole day practically spent on curing the sick, driving out demons, preaching the Good News, welcoming and forgiving sinners.

Finally, as his enemies wanted to eliminate him, he gave himself up and allowed himself to be crucified, nailing to the cross also the sins of humanity. And because of this. He was vindicated by his resurrection from the dead. God the Holy Spirit sanctifies and leads all believers to the truth. He guides them toward a deeper understanding of the message of the Lord Jesus. He also strengthens and emboldens those who were previously in fear to witness to the truth.

Furthermore, he enlightens believers in their decisions and plans so to align them with the will of God. Moreover, the Spirit enables believers to walk in newness of life, helping them to leave behind their former crooked ways and produce instead the “fruits of the Spirit.” Finally, the Holy Spirit is the power by which all will be raised from the dead, in the same way that Jesus was raised from the dead, too. Thus, the Holy Spirit serves as the anchor of that blessed hope of resurrection.

Thus, the one God revealing himself as three Persons allows us, human beings, to concretely know and experience his total and perfect creative power and his saving and sanctifying act. Realizing this makes us even more courageous and steadfast amidst life’s challenges, especially as a consequence of our being believers in him.

With the Holy Trinity to lean on, we can face any obstacle or evil opposition. May we love the Most Holy Trinity above all things, and imitate the Triune God in caring for creation, in giving our lives for others, and in using our gifts for the benefit of the Body of Christ.