The dogma of faith which forms the object of the feast is this: There is one God and in this one God there are three Divine Persons; the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. Yet ther are not three Gods, but one, eternal, incomprehensible God! The Father is not more God than the Son, neither is the Son more God than the Holy Spirit. The Father is the first Divine Person, the Son is the second Divine Person, begotten from the nature of the Father from eternity; the Holy Spirit is the third Divine Person, proceeding from the Father and the Son. All three Persons contributed to and share in the work of redemption.
The Father sent His Son to earch, for “God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son.” The Father called us to the faith. The Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, became man and died for us. He redeemed us and made us children of God. He ever remains the liturgies par excellence to whome we are united in all sacred functions. After Christ’s ascension the Holy Spirit, however, became our Teacher, our leader, our Guide, our Consoler.
Rom 8: 14-17
Everyone moved by the Spirit isa son of God. The spirit you received is the no the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are childre of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
Matthew 28: 16-20
The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heavenand on earth has been given tome. Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”
Uniqueness of God as Trinity
The mystery of the Trinity as part of the revelation of God is something that we have come to know as part of the our faith. As we engage with the readings today, we encounter something of the biblical journey to the understanding we have.
Paul, beginning with the statement that those led by the Spirit are children of God, logically unfolds that relationship step by step, to reveal that we are joint heirs with Christ. In this short pasage, Paul presents Father, Son, and Spirit in relationship with believers, an important text for later development of the theology of the Trinity.
The Gospel contains the final verses of Matthew. The location – a mountain – immediately suggests a connection with the encounter with God. The eleven are gathered to see the resurrected Jesus before he ascends. They are then sent out to baptise in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The inclusion of teaching all future disciples to ‘obey everything I have commanded’ also echoes the words of Moses. Jesus words, ‘I am with you always’ links these final words with the beginning of Matthe’s Gospel and highlights the compassing presence of God from the beginning, and for all believers in future.