A friend who is a primary teacher put a question to me the other day. One of her students had asked “when Jesus prays to the Father isn’t he just praying to himself? If Jesus is God and the Father is God, and the Holy Spirit is God isn’t Jesus just speaking to himself when he prays?”  

A very good question but when we speak of the Trinity, we believe that there is one God but existing as three different Persons “one God, three persons”. The word ‘trinity’ comes from the word ‘tri’ meaning ‘three’ and ‘unity’ meaning ‘one’. Catholics believe that there are three distinct Persons to this one God and that these three Persons form a unity. Three distinct persons existing as one being, how do we explain this?  Simply we don’t, it’s a mystery it is incomprehensible, but it is a truth of our faith we believe, in trust, based on scripture and Jesus’ teaching, but it’s always a good mystery to ponder.  But for me the mechanics of the Trinity are not that important, what is important is what we learn from the Trinity. 

We have these three persons, Father and Son and Holy Spirit in one being living the perfect relationship of love and fellowship.  The creative force of that love brought everything into being, both the material universe and the spiritual realms, and this force continues to hold everything in existence. We were created to exist within that great power and force of the Trinity.  Our only mandate is to emulate to the best of our ability that perfect love which brought us into existence.  The last earthly words of Jesus before he returns to his Father are so powerful, he says;

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

This is our commission, he tells us “go and make me known, bring people into relationship with me.  Why? Because the purpose of creation was for us to be in union with the creator, with the Trinity and we do this through Jesus, he tells us; “Baptise them, let me pour my grace into them, so that they can experience and share the love that flows within the godhead.  And do not be afraid I will be with you to guide and give you strength, in the Eucharist, through the movement of the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments and in the care and protection of the Father. I will be with you, yes to the end of time, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  Amen.  Happy Trinity Sunday