One God, Three Persons
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The
mystery of the Holy Trinity is the greatest and most ancient of Christian
faith. This is also the most profound
doctrine which, in order for us to accept it, requires of us
believers in Christ first of all a good sense of trust in His teaching handed
over to the Church.
In
fact, it was Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Son of God and God Himself, Who
teaches humanity the truth that God, one and unique in nature though, reveals
Himself in Three Divine Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Jesus,
during His saving mission on earth, repeatedly tells us that He came into the
world not on His own initiative but according to the Holy Will of God, His
Father. He shows His great and deep
delight in fulfilling the Father’s decree that the sinful humanity should be
freed from the power of death and eternal punishment at all cost, even at the
cost of the life of the Son of God. Jesus
did complete His Father’s salvation plan to the last drop of His blood. That was the reason why God the Father once
introduced Jesus to all human beings with affectionate and proud words: “This
is my beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased.”[1]
In
His turn, Jesus, before going back to His Father, trustfully and respectfully
recommends to us, His followers, the Holy Spirit Who He said comes from both
Father and Son, and Who will help us to live up the Good News of Christ to all
perfection.
In
short, as Jesus’ disciples we are so loved by the Holy Trinity that we are
proud to be named Christians and also Trinitarians. God the Father created us in His image. God the Son laid down His life on the holy
cross to save us from the forces of evil.
God the Holy Spirit makes us worthy children of the Triune God.
How
should we, Christians, conduct such a life that reflects our dignity as
children of the God Who is love,[2]
and Who has manifested in all aspects of His divine mercy His faithful dream
that we will one day gather as one family in His home to share with Him
everlasting and ever happy life?
Let
us listen to Jesus, Who tells us that now is the time when God the Father wants
us to love Him and serve Him in the Holy Spirit and truth.[3] Saint Paul also wrote that the Holy Spirit
teaches us how to pray by addressing God as “Father”.
Let
us not forget that we through the power of the Sacrament of Baptism were born
again into the new life of divine adoption in the Holy Name of God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Let
us make this divine life grow up to the fullness of the life of Christ Jesus in
the unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Fr. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Nhut, O.P.
