Cardinal Tobin: The Trinity is the central mystery of Christian life and belief
We firmly believe and confess without reservation that there is only one true God, eternal, infinite (immensus) and unchangeable, incomprehensible, almighty, and ineffable, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; three persons indeed, but one essence, substance or nature entirely simple.”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, #202)
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We Christians are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This is an ancient formula of the baptismal creed. It affirms that the Most Holy Trinity, one God in three persons, is the central mystery of Christian life and belief. Baptism immerses us into the mystery of God’s inner life; it marks us indelibly with what St. Augustine called “the seal of the Lord,” a permanent sign that we belong to God alone as children of the Father, members of Christ’s body, and temples of the Holy Spirit.
When thinking about the Holy Trinity, we should not focus on abstract doctrinal formulas. Instead, we should seek to better understand, and share with others, the simple truth that is our baptismal faith: God is Love, and He communicates this simple-but-profound Love to us by His self-revelation as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—three persons, indeed, but one essence, substance or nature (cf. CCC #202 quoted above).
Too often, discussion of the Trinity takes on the appearance of obscure theologizing. This is a serious mistake. The mystery of God’s inner life is something dynamic, powerful and life-giving (literally). The God who is Love shares Himself generously both within His divine nature and in His relationship to all creation. God’s inner life, the relationship that exists among the three persons of the Blessed Trinity, flows outward with great creative force. The result is life itself, and the great miracles of creation, redemption, and sanctification that we Christians profess in the creed all proceed from the Most Holy Trinity as gifts of God’s grace that are intended to unite us with Him forever.
When we accept God as our loving Father, we open ourselves to the gift of His endless mercy and forgiveness. No one is denied God’s Love no matter what sins he or she has committed. All of us are invited to repent, seek God’s mercy and live freely without sin, as daughters and sons of our heavenly Father.
Continue reading Cardinal Tobin’s latest newsletter.
