Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Catechism Links [1]
CCC 202, 232-260, 684, 732: The mystery of the Trinity
CCC 249, 813, 950, 1077-1109, 2845: The Trinity in the Church and her liturgy
CCC 2655, 2664-2672: The Trinity and prayer
CCC 2205: The family as an image of the Trinity
 
History of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

“Holy Trinity”
by Hendrick van Balen, 1620s

 
Readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Proverbs 8:22-31
 
Thus says the wisdom of God:
"The Lord possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
 
"When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race."
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Commentary on Prv 8:22-31
 
The author of Proverbs here reflects on the eternal nature of the plurality of persons in God. Wisdom here is used as a metaphor for Christ and the Holy Spirit, the first becoming incarnate and the second coming on the heels of the first. Concurrently we are reminded of the creative gift of the Triune God who delights in his people.
 
CCC: Prv 8:22-31 288
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
 
R. (2a) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
 
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place —
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
 
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
 
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
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Commentary on Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
 
Psalm 8 is a song of thanksgiving for the creation event described in Genesis. The song marvels at God’s great work, his creation, and the life he gave us. The singer expresses the humility of a people who, through no merit of their own, God has made little less than angels and given a place of honor. Having done all this, mankind accepts great responsibility for stewardship.
 
CCC: Ps 8:6 2566, 2809
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Reading II: Romans 5:1-5
 
Brothers and sisters:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
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Commentary on Rom 5:1-5
 
In this passage St. Paul declares the peace of Christ which flows to the faithful from the Father through Jesus who cast out sin and death for our salvation. The complete acceptance of our earthly station is made possible by the Holy Spirit who flows from the Father and the Son into our hearts.
 
“Popular piety frequently construed reverses and troubles as punishment for sin; cf John 9:2. Paul therefore assures believers that God's justifying action in Jesus Christ is a declaration of peace. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ displays God's initiative in certifying humanity for unimpeded access into the divine presence. Reconciliation is God's gift of pardon to the entire human race.” [5]
 
CCC: Rom 5:3-5 2734, 2847; Rom 5:5 368, 733, 1820, 1964, 2658
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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."
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Commentary on Jn 16:12-15
 
Jesus’ farewell speech continues.  His reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit is explained further, and the unity of the Holy Trinity comes into focus. The Lord tells his friends that this Advocate will give them what is also his (the Lord’s). He tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit will not bring new revelations but will allow them to understand the things that have already happened. And in that revelatory understanding, Christ will be glorified because he and the Father are one.
 
CCC: Jn 16:13-15 2615; Jn 16:13 91, 243, 687, 692, 1117, 2466, 2671; Jn 16:14-15 485; Jn 16:14 244, 690
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Reflection:
 
At the beginning of our diaconal formation class on Christology, Father Phil Gallagher asked each of the individuals in our class to rise and give a definition of the Trinity.  After each person stood and gave forth pious wisdom, Father would say: “You’re a heretic, sit down.”  To try to put into words that which is beyond human understanding is a dangerous thing.
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this:
 
“237 The Trinity is a mystery of faith in the strict sense, one of the ‘mysteries that are hidden in God, which can never be known unless they are revealed by God.” To be sure, God has left traces of his Trinitarian being in his work of creation and in his Revelation throughout the Old Testament. But his inmost Being as Holy Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel's faith before the Incarnation of God's Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit.”
 
So many people over the years have said, “What does that tell us? It’s a mystery.”  We need to look at the traces of its effect upon us in Scripture to answer that question.  Today we are happily exposed to a divinely inspired reflection that answers the question we would ask.  In Proverbs we see the ancient understanding of how God existed in that unknowable pluralistic state from before the world was.  We rejoice in the consequences of that diversity because it gives us the ability to be touched by our Creator on so many levels.
 
Today we thank God the Father for creating heaven and earth and choosing us as his special possession.  We thank God the Son for revealing the amazing love he has for us by sacrificing himself so that we might have lives of peace and happiness.  And we thank the Holy Spirit for coming to us at our baptism and guiding us in the ways of peace throughout our lives.
 
Pax

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The image used today is “Holy Trinity” by Hendrick van Balen, 1620s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] NAB footnote on Romans 5:1-11.