Sunday, June 03, 2012

Believing in the Trinity

Today is Trinity Sunday, and the following excerpt from theologian Leonardo Boff's 2000 book Holy Trinity, Perfect Community was shared this morning as part of the liturgy at Spirit of St. Stephen's Catholic Community in Minneapolis. I found it very insightful and helpful. Perhaps you will too!


What is God like? This is where the Blessed Trinity comes in. We believe that God is communion rather than solitude. It is not a "one" that is primary but the "three." The three comes first. Then, because of the intimate relationship between the "three" comes the "one" as expressing the unity of the three.

Believing in the Trinity means that at the root of everything that exists and subsists there is movement; there is an eternal process of life, of outward movement, of love.

Believing in the Trinity means that truth is on the side of communion rather than exclusion; consensus translates truth better than imposition; the participation of many is better than the dictate of a single one.

Believing in the Trinity means accepting that everything is related to everything and so makes up one great whole, and that unity comes from a thousand convergences rather than from one factor alone.

We never simply live, we always live together. Whatever favors shared life is good and worthwhile. Hence, it is worthwhile believing in this community-style of God's existence, of God's Trinitarian manner that is always communion and union of three.

– Leonardo Boff

3 comments:

Unknown said...

"Believing in the Trinity means accepting that everything is related to everything and so makes up one great whole, and that unity comes from a thousand convergences rather than from one factor alone"

That means that you don't get to "pick and choose" things that you want to believe in, doesn't it?

Michael J. Bayly said...

Well, I'm sure there are things that you don't "believe in," Ray. Speaking of which, one of those "thousands [of] convergences" that make up the "one great whole" is the reality of God's presence in gay lives and relationships. The episcopal magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church may not accept this presence (yet), but the other two magisteria of the Church, namely the theologians and the wisdom of the people, are certainly open to it. Perhaps it's not a matter of "picking and choosing" but rather being open to the unfolding human awareness of God's presence in the world.

Unknown said...

God is present in all things, and in the lives of homosexuals, too.

But the fulness of God is not available to those who pick and choose what to believe in. Jesus Christ, One, and the "Word of God", came down from Heaven and suffered and died for us and gave us a Church to assist us in rejoining Him in Heaven.

If you had your way, there would be one million or more "churches" instead of one Church, instructing us in the Word of God.

You don't get to quit the Church because you want your own choice of homilists, a husband and wife team, celebrating Earth Day by reading poetry from the pulpit during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I was there that Sunday.