One of the most insightful questions anyone has ever asked me was this: to which Person of the Trinity do you most frequently turn? Let that question sink in for a minute on this Trinity Sunday. When you pray, do you notice to Whom your prayers are directed? Do you speak to Jesus as a friend? Are you seeking the consolation or protection of the Father? Are you inclined to the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit? Why do you imagine that is? Has it always been that way? What might happen in prayer if you stepped out of your habit and invited God to respond to you from a less familiar place?
Let God surprise you
Speaking for myself, this is one of those phrases that is much more palatable embroidered on throw pillows, than in my daily routine. Is it safe to do so? we might wonder. If you have ever read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, you might remember Aslan the Lion, who symbolizes God, described not as safe, but good! That is exactly what we have signed up for, as well as the beauty of our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Who is as described by Saint Augustine as ‘beauty ever ancient and ever new.’
Pare it down
Anytime I teach religious education, I like to ask students to tell me about how they would explain the topic of the day to their younger brother or sister, or how adults might describe it to a niece or nephew. I find it so helpful for myself and others to pare down to the absolute core, what we know to be true as a foundation to build upon. With a topic like Trinity Sunday, it feels right to begin the same way.
Without fail when it comes to the Trinity, the littlest grades will come barreling out of class bearing their coloring sheets describing the Persons of the Trinity: The Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father. All three Persons are distinct, but One. All true, and pretty deep for kindergarten catechesis!
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Metaphors
Further down the hall—others introduce analogies like the three parts of an egg, the leaves on a shamrock, or the sun’s light, heat, and fiery appearance to help simplify this tremendous tenet of our faith—all of which are helpful in some ways but eventually break down.
A more advanced metaphor that I have come to treasure comes from the Greek term Perichoresis, a word describing the constant movement of the Persons of the Trinity in communion with one another: the constant gift of self the Father offers the Son and the Son offers the Father in return, animated by the Holy Spirit Who proceeds from this mutual self gift. One translation even describes the relationship as a dance.
I like the dancing metaphor: beautiful, graceful, creative, embracing, in motion, etc. Important adjectives as we think of the distinctions and unity present in the Persons of the Trinity as manifest in Scripture, as well as in our lives.
Today’s Feast
While this Sunday stands out in a particular way as a day to recognize and celebrate this pillar of our faith, we reclaim our belief in a Triune God every single Sunday at Mass when we recite the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty . . .
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord . . .
I believe in the Holy Spirit . . .
As an exercise in prayer, take some time with Scripture verses that you love (or use the examples listed below) that describe each Person of the Trinity. Sit with them in prayer and ask God to reveal something new to you about who God is. Step out in faith and ask the Lord to accompany you and to surprise you this week!
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Father
…And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18).
“This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions (Matthew 6:9-13).
Son
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5).
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
Holy Spirit
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you (John 14:16-17).
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them (Acts 2: 1-3).
Katie Cassady is a wife and mom who has worked in young adult and social ministry in a variety of roles over the past 15 years. Steeped in theological reflection, it is her joy to make connections between Scripture, service, and Catholic social teaching through her work at Catholic Charities. She holds a master's degree in Pastoral Ministry and loves to write about the dignity of the human person, stewardship, and Sabbath in a world desperate for the peace of Christ.
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