The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
My last day at home in India before I leave for Dayton is always a very emotional day for all of us. But the last few minutes before I leave the house is even more intense. My parents and I spend these last few minutes together in prayer. The scene is the same each time. We huddle together, with my dad seated on the sofa and my mother standing next to him. My mother is only as tall as my father sitting down. I stand over them, lay my hands on them and pray over them. And then, they place their hands on me and bless me with the sign of the cross. By this time, tears are flowing down our cheeks. We try to smile through the tears suppressing any possibility of simply breaking down. On this last visit, particularly, as we huddled together in prayer, I remember becoming aware of how much love there was as we stood there together. I simply cannot put into words the power of that love. That love gives me the strength to finally walk out of the house and to my parents to anticipate the next visit.
I share this story with you for two reasons. First, I want you know a little about my family. Second, today is the feast the Most Holy Trinity. Did you notice that all the readings today are about God’s love? From all the pages of scripture that could have described God’s nature in a comprehensive way, the church has chosen passages that define God purely as love. I want to talk about God in the language of love.
- First, what are today’s scripture saying about God? In the first reading we hear, "The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." Remember that this declaration about God was made after Moses, angry with the infidelity of the Israelites, had destroyed the first set of tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Even against the background of a sinful and stiff-necked people, God is presented as rich in kindness and fidelity. In the second reading, Paul refers to God as the God of love and peace. The gospel reading is one of the most quoted passage in all of scripture where John does not simply say that God loved the world, but rather, perhaps finding it difficult to find words, he says, God ‘so’ loved the world. If we add all the other passages that we have about God in the Bible, the only appropriate way to describe God is to say that God is indescribable love. If my experience of love with my parents was so indescribably overwhelming, can you imagine what awaits us in eternity? I am suggesting, then, that as we live our lives on earth, let us not let fear, punishment, or retribution dictate our relationship with God. First and foremost, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are indescribable, unfathomable, unconditional, unimaginable love.
- What do we do when we encounter indescribable love? As the first reading tells us the most appropriate response to God’s indescribable love is to do what Moses did – profound worship. At the experience of God, Moses simply bowed down in absolute surrender before God. And this is exactly what we can do too. If God’s love is as indescribable as scripture tells us, then our worship must get to the point where we find ourselves being consumed by this love. I am not saying that we be simply fascinated by this love. I am saying being consumed by it, transformed by, empowered by it, and saved by it. In fact, salvation means that we allow God’s love to wash away our sins, to allow God’s love to transform us and to allow God’s love to consume. And as John says to us in today’s gospel, to exclude ourselves from God’s love is to exclude ourselves from being saved.
- As we talk about God and God’s love, I also want to draw attention to the fact that today we celebrate father’s day. The image of God as father is the most prominent image we have of God. Every father has the awesome responsibility and privilege to love as God loves. Today, I want to honor my father and all you fathers who try to live up to the call that God has given you. I am not a father but with the experience of ministry, may I make a few observations. Dear fathers:
- Please do not call yourself your child’s best friend but rather call yourself the child’s best father. Your child will have plenty of friends but only one father. Do not deny them that privilege and please do not abdicate your awesome privilege and responsibility.
- Resist the temptation to perpetual adolescence. I am saying this particularly to younger fathers. There is whole generation out there that has simply refused to transition into adulthood, marriage and parenthood in a healthy way. Gaming, continuing to maintain the single life-style even as a family, the inability to have conversations beyond sports, not comprehending the need of financial discipline and planning , having no spirituality guide their lives – these are all too common today.
- Love your children unconditionally but do not become their fans. When you become your children’s fan then you lose objectivity. Parents fighting at school sports, parents becoming irrational in defending their children at all costs, parents not teaching their children respect for authority, God, and society is doing damage to children. It is not teaching them important lessons of life. Be your child’s father and not their fan.
- As Catholic fathers, lead your children to God who is like a father. This requires hard work. It is one thing to teach our children to make the sign of the cross or say the “Our Father.” It is quite another thing to have a strong prayer life yourself and teach your children to enter into a loving relationship with God. How many times have your children seen you pray? How many times have your children seen you pray as a couple? Don’t teach your children religion; teach them discipleship!
- Most of all, dear fathers, may the one thing that your children be able to say on the day you die be – that you loved them like God loves God’s children.
As we celebrate this Eucharist, let us allow God’s love to transform us. Let us make this Eucharist an act of profound worship. And let us pray for all fathers. May all father’s be like God who is our Father. Amen.
-= Fr. Satish Joseph