Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The Importance of the Trinity

All true Christians believe in the doctrine of the trinity. But not all true Christians reflect on a deeper understanding of the trinity. Still worse, others believe it is not even relevant to do so. If God found it worthy to reveal the mystery of the trinity to us, then there must be implications for how we are to live. We lose a richness of the Faith when we hold to this reductionistic view. God has revealed Himself through the universe and through us. We are made in His image and likeness. We can look for concrete images of the trinity in our daily life.

The mystery of the trinity is indeed a mystery and actually, the greatest mystery. All the more reason to delve into its mysteries. The universe is a mystery to us, and yet only the absurd would argue that scientific discoveries are irrelevant. Humans are mysteries, too. But strangely enough, we try to figure them out, too! And this "figuring" is how we show love. This is how we can be a "gift" to the other. If I am allergic to seafood, and my boyfriend makes me a salmon dinner for our anniversary I would feel completely unloved and say, "Don't you know me at all!? Don't you love me?!" Of course, the mystery of the human person can never be fully realized but that doesn't merit not partaking in the discovery.

If this is how I relate to people, then this must be a clue as to how God wishes me to relate to Him and to love Him. To ask, "Who are you God? What is this trinity that You are?" If I believe that God is trinity, then I must reflect into that mystery of the Triune God if I'm going to reflect about Him at all. I can't just reflect on God, or Son (Jesus), or Holy Spirit without reflecting on all three since it is their particular relationship with one another that distinguishes them in person.

More on the Trinity to follow...

7 comments:

The Conservative Manifesto said...

YOU'RE WRONG, YOU RELIGIOUS BIGOT!

Welcome to the blogosphere.

;-)

Unknown said...

LOL. Could you at least put "Just kidding" or something.

The Conservative Manifesto said...

"LOL. Could you at least put "Just kidding" or something."

;-)

James said...

Contemplating the Trinity does more than give us greater understanding of God, who is agape-love. It also gives us greater insight into ourselves and our telos because we are created imago dei.

In the Theology of the Body JPII returns again and again to one passage from Vatican II:

"Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear." ~Gaudium et Spes

In many ways the TOB is an extended reflection on this insight. We are called to union and communion, with God and one another, which is what our hearts constantly long for. Even when it is twisted and distorted by the fall, behind most sins you can see the desire for heaven and God's love gone berserk. We cannot properly understand ourselves apart from the Trinity.

Simone said...

"We cannot properly understand ourselves apart from the Trinity."

So true.

I will treat this more in-depth in later posts.

Stay tuned!

Paul said...

YOu have a blog?

Unknown said...

Awesome!!

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