The Trinity and us

The story is told of three senior citizens, who were a bit hard of hearing, having a conversation. The first one said, “Today is windy, isn’t it?”

The second one said, “It’s Thursday!”

And the third one said, “Me, too, I’m thirsty. Let’s drink!”

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Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Three persons in one God, with perfect understanding, love and unity! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit teach us to be united with them, and to be like them in thought, word and deed.

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In today’s Gospel (Jn.16, 12-15), Jesus Himself teaches us the perfect unity and continuity of the life and mission of the Trinity. Within the Trinity, there is a perfect essence, a perfect presence, and a perfect assist. There is no one higher than the other, there is no one more present than the other. There is no one more needed than the other. Let us examine today what kind of a person, and a presence, we are to one another.

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It was a beautiful experience to visit and pray at the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Corps, France, where Our Lady appeared to two shepherds, Maximin, 11, and Melanie, 14, on Sept. 19, 1846. La Salette is about 5,800 feet above sea level (still snowing in May!) and here, the “Beautiful Lady” sat and wept, asking the whole world to repent, with a warning of a foreseen punishment. Mary is the reconciler of sinners with the Trinity. She showed us our mission to become instruments ourselves of peace and unity with the Trinity.

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In the La Salette crucifix which Our Lady was embracing when she appeared, we see on one side the hammer, and on the other side the pincers. The message is that we must stop using the hammer to hurt God and other people, and start removing sin with the pincers.

Our reflection and resolve as a pilgrimage group when we left La Salette was to try not to make Mama Mary cry from now on. Borrowing the lines from a song, all of us pilgrims sang, “Don’t cry for me, Mama Mary. The truth is, I’ll never leave you. I’ll keep my promise…”

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We stayed at the two-star hotel Napoleon in La Salette, but what made it five-star was the hospitality and warmth of the family that owned and operated it. Husband and wife and their three teenaged children worked together as a team in the kitchen and the dining room as well as in the upkeep, harmoniously and joyfully. For me, it was a beautiful picture of the Trinity. It was an experience of the Trinity when we of different cultures shared and interacted with one another in mutual respect and friendship.

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More and more we realize that the way to the Trinity is not only the straight way (daang  matuwid), but also the humble way (daang  mapagkumbaba). St. Jean Marie Vianney, the Cure D’Ars, the patron saint of priests, has shown us that it is possible to live a simple, humble, and dedicated life as a parish priest. He spent a great part of his holy life preaching powerful sermons, and up to 20 hours a day in the confessional, sleeping only two hours a night.

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The road to “hiddenness” is also the way to the Trinity. St. Bernadette Soubirous, the visionary of Lourdes, chose to go to a convent in Nevers, France, and spent the rest of her earthly life in silence and anonymity. Instead of basking in the spotlight, she chose to be in the presence of the Trinity in prayer, in penance, in silence, and in solitude. Sooner or later we all must learn to “fade away.” The sooner we learn that, the better for ourselves and for others as well.

We are on a journey to the Trinity and with the Trinity. We are pilgrims, not tourists, in this world. We are reminded in the Opus Dei Shrine in Torreciudad, Spain, that we are the work of God in progress, and that we all should be involved in the work of God. What work of God are you involved in?

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Our Spanish driver, Larson, commented how different it is to have pilgrims, and not tourists, in his bus. He said that aside from the prayerful atmosphere, pilgrims are more joyful and more patient. Yes, we all must make the Trinity present wherever we go, whatever we do.

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We pray that the elected leaders of our country are those who provide like God the Father, who work like God the Son, and who inspire like God the Holy Spirit. May we be blessed with leaders who are Trinitarian in spirit and in action!

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Sharing with you a text message that gives us hope as long as we hold on to the Trinity: “Someday, everything that is happening in our lives will make perfect sense. So for now, let us laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding ourselves that everything happens for a reason.”

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A moment with the Lord:

Oh, Most Holy Trinity, be with us and bring us home safely to eternity. Amen.