God so loved the world…

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Trinity. We believe that God is three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and only one God. What does the doctrine of the Trinity mean, and why does it matter for our Christian faith?

Pagan peoples in the ancient world believed in many gods. But God revealed himself to the Jews as the one true God, Creator of the world and of humanity.  In today’s First Reading, Moses expresses his people’s belief in ‘a God of tenderness and compassion,’ who loves them and forgives their sins.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells Nicodemus, ‘God so loved the world that he sent his only Son.’ Jesus revealed himself as the Son of God, and promised his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit to them. So Christians came to know that God is a Trinity of three Persons.

The mystery of the Holy Trinity shows us that love is at the heart of the life of God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have loved one another from eternity. Their love overflows to create the world, and to create human beings who can know God and respond to God’s love. God is not distant from human life – he reveals himself to us, and invites us to share in the love of the three Persons. The Trinity is not a puzzle for us to solve, but a mystery to live. Today, we celebrate the mystery.

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