LIVING THE MYSTERY OF THE TRIUNE GOD

 

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Bible Readings: Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This celebration invites us to contemplate the heart of our Christian faith - that God is One in essence, but Three in persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One mistake we often make is that we see the Trinity as a riddle to be solved or a puzzle to be cracked. But then, Trinity is a divine mystery to be lived. If we are to live meaningful Christian lives, we must not only profess this mystery but also live it out or enter into it, and allow it to shape our relationships, communities, and witness in the world.

The readings of today take us on a journey into the heart of this mystery. In the First Reading from Proverbs, we encounter Wisdom, who was with God “at the beginning of his work.” The Church Fathers saw this as a veiled reference to Christ, the eternal Word, who according to St. John, was “with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-3). This description points to the pre-existence and divine intimacy between the Father and the Son.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus speaks of the Spirit, who will guide us “into all truth.” The Spirit will not speak on his own but will glorify the Son and declare what belongs to the Father. Here, we see the three persons working in perfect harmony, distinct yet united in purpose and essence. The Trinity is not a mathematical mystery, as though we were trying to explain how 1 + 1 + 1 = 1. It is a relational mystery: how perfect love is shared among Three, and now offered to us.

St. Augustine in his book “De Trinitate” described the Father as the lover, the Son as the beloved and the Holy Spirit as the love that binds the Father and Son. This helps us move beyond cold doctrine to the living reality of God as communion. The Trinity is not a theological abstraction - it is the very nature of the God who made us, who redeemed us, and who sanctifies us. The mystery of the Trinity teaches us that God is not a solitary being; He is a community of love and since we are made in his image, we too are made for communion.

This understanding has deep implications for how we live: We are not saved in isolation. Christianity is not a “me and God” affair - it is about us and God, together as one body. As such, we must model our relationships on the love of the Trinity: self-giving, faithful, and life-giving. The Trinity is not about power but about mutual indwelling - perichoresis - a dance of divine love. In our families, parishes, and communities, we are called to reflect this divine communion - working together in unity, while respecting the unique and distinct gifts of each person.

Dear brother and sister, no homily can fully explain the Trinity, and that is okay. This is because the Trinity is not a concept to be grasped but a life to be entered into. In Baptism, you were baptized in the name of the Trinity. In the Eucharist, you are drawn into communion with the Triune God. And in daily life, you are called to reflect that divine love in the world. Let us then live as children of the Father, disciples of the Son, and temples of the Holy Spirit. And may our lives give glory to the One God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.