June 7, 2020 - Most Holy Trinity

(Ex 34:4b–6, 8–9; 2 Cor 13:11–13; Jn 3:16–18)

In our first reading from Exodus, Moses has an incredible encounter with God. Moses didn’t want an abstract knowledge of God, but wanted to know the Person of God, to see the face of God, to learn God’s name. God told him, “The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” (the most quoted line of the Pentateuch).

Then in the Gospel of John, we get the famous line about God so loving the world, that he gave his only Son. This highlights two of the key actions of God: first his love, and second, his giving. Through this we learn that love is an action, not a feeling, and that love is expressed in giving.

From all of this we come to realize that God is a loving God who wants to share his goodness with us, so he gives us the Son, who infinitely gives himself back to the Father. This love and mutual self-giving is the Person of the Holy Spirit, for God is love and his deeds are love. God is one God, with Three Persons united in love, and the Holy Spirit is the manifestation of that giving love.

• In the reading from Exodus, we are told that the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and rich in kindness and fidelity. Share a time that God has been merciful, slow to anger or rich in kindness in your life.
• St. Faustina says that whoever is united to one Person of the Trinity is united to all three. Which Person of the Trinity do you feel the closest to? Which one do you feel the most distant from?
• The church teaches that the love between the Father and the Son is the Person of the Holy Spirit. Did the reflection help you to understand this difficult concept? Can you explain it in your own words?