In the Ascension we learn that Jesus withdraws, so that we might
ourselves be sent out to make Him present in
the world. At Pentecost we rejoice in the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and
Giver of Life, whom we receive at Baptism and Confirmation and through whom as
disciples of Jesus we proclaim the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father. Pentecost
comes because all of us need a beginning - but we need one that has His guidance
and inspiration - especially in our mission of discipleship. Today we celebrate
the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In the
Feast of the Trinity - God communicates with us and His message is an infusion
into our lives. Each of us seeks to make an impression – even rocks makes an
impression in the sand. Our impression is often in the form of communication –
think of the various methods we have today to communicate – Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, Email and even carrier pigeon I guess. But what we
communicate – or more specifically – WHO we communicate is the focus of the
Trnity.
It is from God the Father that all begins - He is the infusor into our
lives. Fom within that unity of God we find the image for ourselves too. The Trinity teaches us that we honour not three separate god’s distinct -
but a unity in the impression of one generated from the Father. So too in our
lives when the impression we make is in unity of purpose with God’s will for
our life, and what we communicate is generated from the Father, we find that
our lives are in harmony.
Often the anxiety we feel
in life, the confusion we sense, or the turmoil we go through, is because we
are embarking upon a path that is not in union and is leaving the impression of
self and not God. This disunity is what causes the lack of harmony.
John’s
Gospel talks about this plan as eternal life. That is our focus and was the focus of the life that Jesus had
been discussing with Nicodemus earlier in the Gospel chapter mentioned today.
In other words, to have eternal life
is to experience the kingdom of God by being born of “water and Spirit,” and
the gift of the Spirit of God is what enables us to live “eternal life” here
and now. Eternal life, therefore, is
the baptized person’s participation in the life of the Trinity.
So how do we make sure that we are leaving the impression and living in
the image of the Triune God. Well two ways get us on the road:
- That we ask ourselves often in prayer (during our appointment with God) – who are we representing – whose impression are we leaving? In the witness that we give, in the way that we walk as Christians, in the wisdom we share with others – is it our impression or God’s impact we seek to make?
- That we discern and decide we will live vertical lives and not horizontal lives. Horizontal lives just keep “plugging along”, they “get through” stuff, or as we have put it in other messages series – they “survive”, not “thrive.” But a vertical life is always pointing upward to God. In our witness, in our way, in our words and wisdom – pointing to Him and making sure we are in union with Him.
So the Feast of the Trinity asks – who are we communicating, what impressions are we making and who are we in union with? May it be the Trinity!