Homily for Sunday, May 26, 2024

Holy Trinity Sunday |

[Deacon Gunther]

There is a cute story about a little girl who came home from Vacation Bible School and told her mother ... the priest told us that “God is everywhere”.  “That’s true,” her mother said.  “How about in the fridge when the door is closed and the light is off?”  “Yes” said the mother.  Is he in the oven when it’s hot?”  “Sure” said her mother.  “How about in the sugar bowl,” asked the girl as she took the lid off the bowl.  “Well, I suppose he is,” answered the mother.  The girl slammed the bowl shut and announced triumphantly ...

“Got him!”  

As humorous as this story may be, there is some truth in it as to how we might view God.  Too often people view God just like this little girl did.  Sometimes they think that God can be put into a neat little package that they can understand and they can control.  But that’s not how it works.  We don’t understand God fully and we sure don’t control him.  Sugar bowl or not.  

Trinity Sunday helps remind us to celebrate the nature of God.  The infinite creator of the vast mysteries of the universe.  A God who so exceeds everything that our small minds could never begin to grasp.  We believe in a God who is Three Persons in one ... Divine, Triune, Unity.  The nature of God is a mystery of that relationship, but we Christians believe that God’s love is mutually given and received by the relationship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew gives us the clearest reference to the Holy Trinity when Christ sends out the Eleven to “make disciples of all nations” by “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  

You all know that this Trinitarian blessing is the essential component to a Christian Baptism.  As Christians we have all been welcomed into Christ’s church when we were baptized.  Here at St. Alexander Parish, we welcome those being baptised into our Christian community, just as any of us would welcome a friend into our home.  In fact, on Sunday at 12:30 we will joyfully be welcoming 1-year-old Liliana and 4-year-old Jaxon into our Christian community.  During the actual baptism at the font the presider uses the exact words that Jesus used in today’s Gospel,

“Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  

We know that there is a Trinity since Jesus told us several times.  What we do not know is how there can be Three Persons in One God.  This is one of the deepest mysteries of our religion.  Today, on Trinity Sunday we thank the Holy Trinity for what they have done for us.  We thank God the Father who out of love created the universe, including making us His sons and daughter’s intelligent human beings.  We thank God the Son who became a Man living among us, working, teaching, suffering, dying, and finally rising so that we might again be restored to the friendship of His Father.  We thank the Holy Spirit who dwells in the soul of every one of us to help us love all the members of the Trinity.  To help us love God, love others, and follow Christ.  And to finally lead us to everlasting life.  

At the beginning of every Mass, we profess our faith in the Triune God by the sign of the cross.  You know, we sign ourselves with the phrase +

“in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

so often we sometimes don’t think about the powerful mystery that it expresses.  Today let’s think about the mystery of the Trinity when during the Eucharistic prayers, Fr. Paul, on our behalf, offers the Body and Blood of Jesus as he says the words “Through him and with him and in him, O God almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.”  

In a few moments we will profess our faith through the Creed together, loud and strong, in the Most Holy Trinity.  Listen carefully to the words you profess to believe.  

Let’s also remember that even the eleven remaining disciples who went to the mountain with Jesus to worship struggled with doubts.  But they eventually came to believe.  If you sometimes have doubt, perhaps think of this story. 

There was a simple country priest who was confronted by a well-known scientist.  The scientist bombarded the priest with disturbing arguments against the existence of God and declared “I don’t believe in God, let alone the Trinity”.  The priest retorted quickly “Oh, it doesn’t matter that you don’t believe, God believes in you.” 

And that’s what it all boils down to, God believes in us all.  Whether we understand the Trinity or not.  Because God believes in us all, we are able to worship and serve God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  

I really like the way composer Leonard Bernstein once described the trinity as a melody, in three-part harmony, by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

My friends, let’s not worry too much about trying to wrap our “heads” around this mystery when really only our “hearts” can take us there. 

May God bless you!