Gospel Reflections for May 31 2015
Whenever you make the sign of the cross as you begin your prayer “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” you bring up a lot of good questions.
What does it mean to say that God is “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” at the same time? When Romans saw early Christians make this prayer they naturally assumed that Christians worshipped three different gods. They had no problem with that. After all, Romans worshipped hundreds of different gods. They were astonished to learn that Christians affirmed that their God was still One God, but in three persons. They were confused.
Maybe that is still confusing to us today, which is perfectly understandable. Many famous saints have sought ways to describe the Trinity. St. Patrick in Ireland famously used the example of a shamrock flower that had three petals but were all still connected to just one stem.
I am the son of a scientist, so I like to use the example of water, simple H20 in its three phases. When frozen, as glacier ice, it can form and create massive continents, just as God the Father forms and creates the universe. As water, it makes life possible on earth, just as Jesus makes life to the fullest happen for us with His grace. Finally, as steam, it has the power to make powerful things happen, just as the Holy Spirit fires up our spiritual life. This simple H20 molecule has three remarkably different phases without changing its one chemical structure.
This metaphor from science can help understand the deep mystery of the Trinity that we celebrate today. There are many other deep mysteries of our faith that can bring great insights as well. That is why I founded the University Series in 2002 in our area of Ventura County in Southern California. I wanted to have a place where people can go to get their real questions about our faith intelligently and practically answered!
I believe that asking questions is one of the noblest things a person can do, but I also know that finding answers is one of the happiest of all experiences a person can have. I wanted to provide a fulfilling experience of both.
I am grateful for the opportunity provided me by the Archdiocese this next year to help set up University style programs throughout the Los Angeles area that will encourage parishioners to ask their deepest questions as well as provide a place where their questions will actually be answered in a way they can practically understand.
I will pray for the success of this effort, and will do so every day, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!”
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Our faith is beautifully mysterious in the beauty of the Trinity!! You have explained it quite well!!! I love the idea that we have three persons to love!! God the Father who loved us so much, he created us, Jesus the Son, who reveals to us the face of God and,teaches us to love, dies for us so we can return to God and the Holy Spirit whose total existence is love, the love between the Father and the Son in the person of the Holy Spirit!! It is all about Love!! Three persons of love in one God!!!! More to love!!!!We can pray to each person of the Blessed Trinity for help and give us direction in our lives!!! Your concept of the University is so beautiful making faith so relevant in our every day lives!!!Our faith is one with us and we must share it with the world, spiritually, morally and with joy!!! Thank you for your precious priesthood, giving us our Jesus and the University to live a faith filled life!!! You are a blessing to us!!! With love, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
This is a brilliant analogy of visualization (ice, water and mist) to explain the Mystery. Thank you for your insight.
There are many more analogies, but I think those are very helpful.
I love the example of the H2O and have used that to help my second graders understand the trinity for years. It’s very visual and works well. Thank you Father for all your work in education!
You are very welcome! I am glad the examples worked in your class too.
I think the h20 is the best analogy I’ve heard as it can help people visualize the 3 different forms, but still water, still the Same God. Explain the Roman pantheon gods a little more as people aren’t educated in some areas as we used to be.
I am glad you liked the example. I also like the fact that it is taken from the very world that God created!
Fr. Dave , I found the explanation of the Trinity so interesting, don’t remember ever hearing that before, but then again, you have to remember how age has a lot to do with that..
The analogy about it being like H20 does make it so clear.
Thank you again for all the work you do in education and the knowledge you provide us with.
You are very welcome!
It is great you will be in a neighboring parish Fr. Dave, just a skip and a hop over the hill to see you..l.
We ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your new assignment.
Since we humans can only understand with our finite minds, we look to the origins of the Three
Persons. to help us.to understand. The Father has no origin, He came from no one. The Son is
begotten He came from the Father alone. The Holy Spirit comes or proceeds from the Father and
the Son, three different relations of origin tell us they are three distinct Persons who have one and
the same divine nature
Well said!
Thank you Fr. Dave, love the analogy of the water! The way I most often heard it explained is how one can represent a different person for different people. In my case I can be a mother, a daughter, a wife, a niece, a sister and more, but there is only one me.
Those are also good examples!
I liked your explanation. It was amazing how many times the followers of Christ doubted. It gives us hope that when we have doubts the Lord is ther to pick us up and challenge us.
I am also excited about the University. Always thought it should go out to the Catholics as we need more teachings on the faith. As you were an answer to praer at St. Paschals this move is also an answer to prayer. You are on to greater things in helping us grow in faith and understanding.
Thank you!
AMEN!
Amen!
Fr.Dave,
That’s by far the best analogy for the Trinity that I’ve ever heard!! Way better, frankly, than St. Patrick’s involving the three-leaf clover. Thanks again!
God bless!
Larry,
Far be it for me to upstage St. Patrick! However, I do think the water example works well.
Father Dave
The Holy Trinity is a very beautiful part of our Catholic Faith. Through the Holy Spirit God is reflected in other people. Miraculous every day occurrences are proof of The Father, Son and The Holy Spirit!!
We are so blessed to have you in Ventura County again!!
Thank you!
Father, I expect that long after you and I are gone your University Series will be worldwide and attended by millions. A fitting tribute to your wisdom and effort.
I hope so! I am glad it has been well received by so many. I am going to really work hard this year to spread the program to other areas.
Thank you Father Dave for your expertise in explaining all the Holy Days and this one especially for the Holy Trinity and your explanation says so much for us to love our God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
I am looking forward to you being just minutes away, as you have heard it before, you are the best and have so much knowledge and wisdom to express to all of us what it means to be a Catholic and what we have to do to maintain that forever in our lives.
The University Series has been so successful in everyone’s lives. ‘” YOU DID GOOD ” AND I KNOW THE NEXT SEASON WILL BE WONDERFUL, IF NOT BETTER, FOR ALL OF US!
God Bless you always
Verna.