A Reflection on the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity (c)
By Fr. Azam Vianney Mansha, CJM
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
The Psalmist invites us to see the goodness of the Lord in all things because all creation finds its meaning in God’s name. Indeed, the Psalmist’s words, “O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth” is an expression of faith to see the Divine mark in everything. To be precise, the Psalmist wants to let the community of believers see the majestic work of God in two ways: in the heights of heaven and in the dust of the earth.
1. God’s glory in the heights of heaven
The Book of Genesis reveals that the Trinitarian God created the heavenly bodies:
And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:14-19).
In his Song of Praise, the Psalmist wants to acknowledge the glory of God which can be seen and experienced while looking at the heavenly bodies. Looking at them through eyes of faith, we are invited to praise the creative work of God, first and foremost, for His glory in the heights of heaven. Our praise for the heavenly bodies actually allows us to see the glory of God also in the dust of the earth. This is the second point of today’s reflection.
2. God’s glory in the dust of the earth
The Book of Genesis also reveals that God took the dust of the earth, formed it, gave it His Trinitarian image and breathed life into it. This action can be called a “Trinitarian action” because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all worked together.
God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness . . .” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:26-27).
Indeed, the glory of the Trinity can be seen in human beings. As St. Irenaeus of Lyons said, “The glory of God is man fully alive.”
Dear sisters and brothers, the Solemnity of the Trinity is not just a liturgical feast but it is a day to acknowledge the glory of God, day and night, either by looking at the creation of God in the heavens or by serving the creation of God here on earth. Let us not forget the words of our good Pope Francis who encouraged us to establish a deep communion with God through the acts of mercy. He said, “A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings” (no. 91).
May Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, intercede for us to always glorify the Lord like her through our words and our deeds.