The Feast Of The Most Holy Trinity

Mass Celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart
at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne,
on Sunday, 6th June, 2004, At 11.00am

Introduction

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we celebrate God among us: Father all creating, Son and Redeemer, Spirit and Sanctifier; three Persons in one God, really distinct and yet giving their life and relationship to us.

Throughout this Mass let us pause in silence and wonder in the presence of our God, acknowledging what he has shown us of himself, seeking to live in his presence through word and deed.

Let us call to mind our sins.

Homily

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We know that God is Trinity because of what he has shown to us. Sometimes we try to picture the Trinity; like a triangle with three points, three interwoven circles, three fish formed into a circle or a shamrock. There is a unity and yet there are three distinct beings.

I like to think of the Father, all creating, giving us the Son and sending him into the world, actively as our Redeemer and who returns to the Father so that both send forth the Holy Spirit like breath to give life and love to our hearts.

The Councils of Nicea, Constantinople, Chalcedon, Toledo, Lateran IV, Lyons II, Florence and Trent have taught on the Trinity. Fathers of the Church – Justin, Theophilus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Basil and the two Gregorys, Athanasius, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Hildegard, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, Saint John of the Cross have all taught on the Trinity. But understanding does not necessarily lead us to engage the person.

Our knowledge of God as Trinity is made possible by him who chose to be revealed as Father, Son and Spirit. As Father, God brought forth the universe and even our very selves. A Son, Jesus, has made known a God who hears our cries, who cares, who counts the hairs on our head and who loves so passionately as to become one of us, suffer for our sins and to die that we might live. As Spirit God remains with and within us.

Here we begin to experience what God is like and how near he is to you and me today. We pray, Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever, because we know that God will never desert us. He will remain with us until, with Jesus, we will be called home.

God invites you and I to reflect their reality: (a) Like a parent, to be a giver of life to others, (b) To be human, to save others, to stand up for truth and the will of God our Father, (c) to be love poured forth and given for others who often will misunderstand us. This is the nearest I can come to saying that we share the life of the Trinity.

Let us stop and think. Is God working in each of these three ways in you and in me? Can I place myself humbly at the service of others as God does? Let us be sure that the Spirit of Truth will guide us in what we think and what we do and in the love that is in our heart.

May we know the mystery of your life by proclaiming and living our faith in you, Blessed Trinity.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.