Holy Trinity: May 25/26, 2024

Having completed the Easter season once again: recalling the death and resurrection of Jesus, his ascension, and celebrating the feast of Pentecost –
    The Church now asks us to think about and celebrated the God in which we believe.
    Throughout the ages, saints and theologians have tried to give us ways of understanding God.
    We all know of our patron - St. Patrick - who described God’s nature by using a shamrock – just as there are three distinct leaves of a shamrock and yet it is just one leaf – 
So there are three distinct persons in God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and yet only on God.

    Probably less familiar to us – is St. John Damascene, a priest who lived in Jerusalem in the 7th century - who tried to explain the nature of God by using a plant.
    He suggested that we think of God the Father as the root of the plant - the foundation from which the rest of the plant grows.  The part of the plant that gives the rest of the plant – life.
    St. John then said we should think of Jesus as the branches of the plant -  the part which supports the leaves which sustains the life for the rest of the plant.  
    And of course if you cut the leaves off of the branch - they wither and die.  Jesus, himself, told us a few weeks back: 
 I am the vine, and you are the branches – and apart from me - you can do nothing.
    So if we cut ourselves off from Christ – we cut ourselves off from the source of our strength.
    And then finally, St. John tells us that we could think of the Holy Spirit as the fruit of the plant – that which gives life to others - but also contains new seeds - that will continue the cycle of life to the next generation.
    The plant has three distinct parts that have their own specific function - and yet it is one plant.  Just as God has three distinct person, each one having their own specific function – and yet we have but one God.
    Perhaps as we go about planting seeds and nurturing plants this summer – we can keep this teaching of St. John Damascene in mind.
    And we can remember what a more recent theologian has said of God.  The late Karl Rahner: a German, Jesuit, priest – who was influential in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council – referred to God as:  “that mystery which we call God” because he thought that no matter how we talk about God or try to explain God – it will always fall short.  Because in the end, we have to admit that we are talking about a mystery.  And it is more important to EXPERIENCE the mystery, than to try to understand it.
    So as we leave here today, we don’t have to leave thinking:  now I understand completely all there is no know about God.  Nor do we have to leave frustrated because we have to admit that God is a mystery - and there is little that we can fully understand about God.
    But we should be leaving here with the desire to open ourselves and EXPERIENCE
-the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-the love of God.
-and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
    Because after all, it is more important to experience the mystery of God - -then to try to understand God.

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