B, THE TRINITY SUNDAY HOMILY, MATTHEW 28:16-20, MAY 26, 2024
1. STORY
John, a high school science teacher, was explaining how science was able
to help students understand religion. He
gave the examples of water and a candle. He said water could either be solid such
as ice, a liquid such as water, and steam, but all are water. The candle produces a flame, heat, and light;
but there is only one candle. These two
examples help us to understand a bit more about the Trinity which means there
is one God made up of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2. GOSPEL: MATTHEW 28: 16-20
A. THE COMMAND TO BAPTIZE.
Jesus has given us the command to baptize people by using the phrase “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” It is Jesus who has taught us about the Trinity. Without his help, we would never know this about God.
3. APPLICATION TO LIFE
A. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
It’s amazing how often we use the sign of the cross in our daily life
and in the liturgy. Each time we
participate in the Mass we use this phrase. It is said
i) at the beginning of the Mass,
ii) at the Collect,
iii) during the Gloria,
iv) during the Creed,
v) at the Preface,
vi) at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, and
vii) at the Final Blessing.
B. UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF THE TRINITY.
Jesus has given us some insights to help us better understand this great
mystery. Here are a few examples.
i) The Father
“For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have
come to believe that I came from the Father.” The Father loves us very much.
(John16:27).
ii) The Son
“This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down
one’s life for his friends” (John 15:12-13). Jesus loves us so much that he died to save
us.
iii) The Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Spirit that the Father
will send in my name – he will teach everything to you and remind you of all
that I have told you” (John 15:26). The
Holy Spirit is with us to help us understand all that Jesus has taught us.
4. CONCLUSION
John taught his students that water and a candle can give us some help
to understand the Trinity. Water can
be solid, as ice, a liquid which we drink, and steam. Though three things are all water, a candle
has a flame, heat, and light; yet there is one candle. There is only one God; but we know this one
God has three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit love
us very much and care for us in our daily lives. We thank Jesus for teaching us about this
great mystery. We ask Jesus to
strengthen our faith so as to pray to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit.
