On Trinity Sunday - reflecting upon the Three Points in Pope Francis' Homily

This past Sunday was Trinity Sunday.  Though Easter season was over with Pentecost Sunday, which was last Sunday, we still read from John’s Gospel on Trinity Sunday as Easter season.

Throughout Easter season, we have read pieces from John’s Gospel, mainly out of Jesus’ Last Supper discourse (John 14 – 17).  There is an important reason for this.

Only John writes Jesus’ extensive discourse on his teaching, his mission, his relationship with the Apostles, his relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

It is to better understand not only Paschal Mystery and its meaning, especially Jesus’ passion, death, and the resurrection, but also how the resurrection, ascension and Pentecost help us better recognize the mystery of Trinity through Jesus’ own Christological discourse. 

In John’s Gospel, Jesus first reveals his identity in relation to the Father. Then, as he begins to indicate his ascension, he starts to make reference to the Holy Spirit. On the eve of his death on the Cross, Jesus spoke more intensely on his relationship with the Father and to the Holy Spirit, making it clear that the Father is greater than him and the Holy Spirit, though these are consubstantial to the Father. 

Through Jesus we can get to know God the Father, because,  the Son, the incarnated God, is the only way to the Father the God (i.e. John 14:6). However, Jesus had to return to the Father (i.e. John 16:5). Then, the Holy Spirit, the Advocate (paraclete – παράκλητος), which is God, comes to us in place of the physical absence of Jesus, the Son (i.e. John 16:7). It means that God in Trinity (Triune God) is in touch with us through the Holy Spirit as we do not see the God the Father until the time of New paradise, described in Revelation 22:4, while Christ the Son will not be physically with us until his return, described in Revelation 19:11-16. As we understand from Easter season Gospel readings from John’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit did not become available to us from the Father unless and until Christ the Son was glorified (died and resurrected) and ascended as said in John 16.

It is important to recognize the flow from the Resurrection to the Trinity through John’s Gospel – through Ascension and Pentecost.

Trinity can be referenced in light of “camminare”(to walk), “edificare”(to build up), and “confessare”(to confess) in Pope Benedict’s  first homily to the College of Cardinals. 

As Jesus, the Son, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), walked with the Apostles throughout the time described in the Gospels, the faithful today walk together  Pope, whose primary role is to shepherd us  as Peter’s successor (i.e. John 21:15-17), through this challenging world, guided by the Holy Spirit. As Christ is the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18), Pope spearheads the Church on earth as the shepherd of the faithful in the world. 

This “camminare” aspect of the Catholic Church today corresponds to the Son in Trinity, as the Son is the head of the Church, which is led by Pope. 

Before the fall of Adam and Eve, Original Sin, God the Father, had used to walk in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8).  Though Adam and Eve had lost the privilege to walk with God the Father, He sent His Son, Christ, who is the Father’s beloved, as claimed by Him in heaven upon Jesus’ baptism (i.e. Mark 1:11) and upon his transfiguration (i.e. Mark 9:7). It is to mend and rebuild the damaged relationship with God, through God's beloved Son.

The second point of Pope Francis’ homily was “edificare”.  I am sure Pope Francis knows his calling during this difficult time of the Church,  echoing  the calling St. Francis of Assisi had: Go Francis:  Rebuild God's house which is falling down. 

God the Father, the Creator, had been the principal player of “edificare” as His creation continue to evolve.  As this Sunday’s first reading (Proverb 8:22-31), we, the faithful, are to be God’s co-players in His further evolving Creation process.  As Proverb 8:30-31 indicates, partaking the God the Father’s ongoing “edificare” process is also like a play, which is associated with fun and joy.  Thus, the God the Father, the Creator, enjoys His “edificare” process and always invites us in this joyful “edificare” process as His co-players!

The Son also plays major roles of “edificare”, because his ministry has laid the foundation of the Church today, as written in the Gospels.  In fact, his earthly job before his baptism to start his ministry was a carpenter – just like his step-father, Joseph.  Thus, we are called to be builders, playing our parts of the roles of “edificare” to rebuild the troubled Church today, together with Pope Francis.  However, we shall not be the builders who reject the cornerstone (i.e. Psalm 118: 22, Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11), because such builders are unfaithful ones, who do not know who Christ is. 

Now, we are called to play our parts in the roles of “edificare” , because Paul encourages us in his Epistles to the Ephesians (2:20)　that we continue to build and rebuild the Church, the Ekklesia, which was founded by the Apostles through the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) with the cornerstone that was once rejected, the Christ, the Son.  The “edificare” role that the Son once had, is now passed on to us, the faithful! 

As Pentecost Sunday’s first reading (Acts 2:1-13) suggests, the Holy Spirit has enabled us to “confessare”  our faith in the Triune God through Christ, the Son, to all nations on earth of many languages.  As 1 John 4:2 indicates that the Holy Spirit helps us acknowledge that the Son, Jesus Christ, is the incarnate form of God.  It is because he and the God the father are in consubstantial union (John 10:30).  Now, we are called to “confessare” this truth of our Triune God through this Christological understanding as we are enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

In fact, the gift of tongues, which corresponds to “confessare” is one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirits (Romans 12:6-8). Thus, it is evident that the Holy Spirit of the Triune God is closely associated with “confessare”  as it enables us to confess, while energizing us to take up some “edificare” roles of the Father of the Triune God, the Creator (builder), and the Son of the Triune God, Christ, who built the foundation of the Church.  And, as indicated in Proverb 8:30-31, these “edificare” roles we play as cooperators of God’s ongoing creation process are joyful.  Because the Holy Spirit also drives us to expand our “edificare” and “confessare” roles through our crosscultural missionary capacities, we also partake the “camminare” roles that God the Father and God the Son beyond our own comfortable cultures. 

Let us continue our  parts of  “confessare”, “edificare”, and “confessare”, in reflection of the mystery of Trinity, as we have been created with Imago Dei (Genesis 1:27) and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (i.e. Isaiah 11:2-3, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 4;11).  No matter how challenging these tasks that Pope Francis called upon during this difficult time of the Church,  as the second reading of this Trinity Sunday (Romans 5:1-5) indicates, the Holy Spirit empowers us to endure.