As the headline notes, this Sunday’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity is the heart of our faith:
Belief in One God—One Essence—yet Three Distinct Persons. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) puts it this way: “By sending His Only Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time, God has revealed His innermost secret: God Himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and has destined us to share in that exchange.”

In our first reading from Exodus (Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9) our God is described as “a merciful and
gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." God is rich in kindness —He is slow to anger. Our second reading, (2 Corinthians 13:11-13) states that we are all—together—called to amend our ways and encourage each other, and to live in peace together, seeking the excellence of the other—and if we act in accord with this call, God will live in us. Our gospel, John (3:16-18), calls us to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who was sent by God into the world out of a supreme love, Agape, so that we might not perish, but might have eternal life. Let’s consider these five thoughts:

1. God’s Love is universal: It is intended for every person, without exception, no matter one’s race, nationality, gender, wealth, station in life, etc. His love is collective—meaning meant and intended for each person He creates. His love is generous and is pro-active, meaning it seeks us, comes after us, and desires to heal us all. So, then let us learn about it, understand it, and find ways to anchor and imitate it in our daily activities of life. Love our spouses and families without conditions; Love our communities, fellow citizens and others with the intention of God—to seek their good as we are able.

2. The gift of Christ: Christ’s life, death and Resurrection, is a gift from God that offers us eternal life. This eternal life is not an endless existence but rather it is a call to share in God’s Love, and be in union with Him forever and ever. To share in and become part of His Wisdom, His Mercy, His unending Peace and Joy…no sin, no division, no pain or suffering—but only eternal joy forever. So, shall we accept His Love? And, if we do, will we choose to share in that love in this world, preparing us for the Love to come? How will I amend my life of selfishness or indifference to be transformed into disciple living out the call to be His followers?

3. Faith is the RESPOSE: We are called to respond to God’s gift 0f Christ by living that love today; it is called Catholic Action—and this is what distinguishes the Catholic faith from Protes-
tantism where Sola Scriptura is the path to salvation. For Catholics, it is more than intellectual
acceptance of Christ, but the action of our faith which calls us step beyond “my needs” and ac-
tually care for and act on the needs of others. In our faith the Church calls us to feed the hun-
gry, care for the sick, educate the ignorant, support marriage and human life in all stages; we
seek to do what we can do with the gifts God gives us individually. We are called to transform
our hearts and become the reflection of God in what we say and do.

4. Salvation, not condemnation: God’s desire is our salvation. This is, what we also hear in
John’s gospel: “This is the will of the One Who Sent me, says the Lord…” Thus, we are called to
do His Will by making our will align with God’s teachings and by accepting that we may not
know it all, but turn to God for His teachings and the lessons which the Bible offers to us, e.g.,
the Beatitudes as the blue print for Christian living. But to REJECT JESUS is to separate our-
selves from God by our own free will; our choices can turn us from the Lord.

5. Living the Message: As it has been said before, it boils down to our Catholic Action. Live
our faith, deepen our Love, grow our Trust in the Lord. And this is only accomplished through
what St. Thomas Aquinas called “habitus,” or the actual practice of what we say we believe. As
we recall the words of today’s Gospel: “Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but
whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the
name of the only Son of God.” “Believe” means to act.

As we hear about the Most Holy Trinity, our God who IS Love, we learn why that Love is given to us, its intent and desire is to grant us Eternal Life, and then we are called to illustrate that Love through our words and deeds we choose as well as the words and deeds we do not say or do. As we pray on this and move forward in understanding it, we have to meditate on the idea that God loves each person so much— as if they were the only one He Created—and that His singular desire is the we spend all eternity with Him, and of Him…in Union. Now in my opinion, that is one good reason to become that Catholic Action.