Genesis 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On this day, we celebrate the revealed knowledge of the Blessed Holy Trinity. We believe in one God who created all things, redeemed us from our sin, and sanctifies us in our bodies. He is one undivided divine essence that subsists in three divine persons. The Eternal Father is unbegotten, the Eternal Son is begotten, and the Eternal Holy Spirit proceeds. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-eternal, meaning that there never was a time in which they did not exist. They are consubstantial, meaning that they are of the same divine essence. Each person of the Holy Trinity is fully and completely God. Thus, each person of the Holy Trinity is given equal honor, praise, and glory. We worship the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.
The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is a mystery meaning that it cannot be understood by human logic. It must be revealed and thus held to by faith. Therefore, all analogies found in creation are only illustrations and they cannot teach the truth of the Trinity in themselves. Such images include St. Patrick’s three leaf clover or the notion that water can exist as a liquid, gas, or solid. The problem with such illustrations is that they can never prove the existence of the Trinity. In fact, if these images are taking too far they incorrectly teach about the Trinity. For example, each one of the leaves on a clover is not the complete clover in itself. Likewise, a single molecule of water cannot exist in all three forms at the same time.
Our understanding of the Holy Trinity must come to us from the word of God which reveals to us all that we need to know for salvation. This is not a teaching that comes from Greek Philosophy. It is given to us throughout the Holy Bible. For example, in the New Testament scriptures, the revelation of the Holy Trinity is given to us at the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the waters of the Jordan River stands Jesus the perfect man. In distinction to the person of Jesus, the Father speaks that this is His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. The third person of the Holy Trinity is revealed separately from the Father and the Son in the form of a dove. He marks Jesus as the Christ that is the Anointed One.
This revelation of the Blessed Trinity is given to each one of us in our own baptism in which we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In the Greek, the word for name is a singular noun teaching us the unity of the divine essence. It does not say “names.” It says “name.” Yet, there are three that are named teaching us the distinction in the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Each person is given the same honor, praise, and glory.
In the Old Testament scriptures, we are taught in the very first book of the Bible to believe in one God who created all things while at the same time making a distinction of the plurality of divine persons. Verse one states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, ESV) In the Hebrew, the word for created is a singular verb. Here we begin to learn to maintain the unity of the divine essence. The Hebrew word for God is a plural noun. Here we begin to learn that there is a plurality of divine persons. This understanding is further taught when God says, “Let us”… … “make man in our own image… …And God created man in His own image.” (Genesis 1:26-27, ESV)
In addition, verses two and three from today’s first reading state, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said…” (Genesis 1:2-3, ESV) Again we are taught to distinguish between the plurality of persons. We make a distinction between God who spoke, the Word of God that was spoken, and the Spirit of God who hovered. All three persons of the Holy Trinity are eternal. They all existed before creation.
Now from the first chapter of the Bible, we begin to learn about the Creator and His creation. God is eternal. God is good. God is all knowing. God is all powerful. It is God alone who does all the action. God created. God said. God made. God called. God saw. God set. God blessed. At the end of the six days of creation, God saw that everything that He had created was very good.
To be good is to have life. In chapter two of the first book of Moses, we begin to learn about how the good creation went bad. To be bad is to lose life. Sin brings death. After the death of the first man, all those who came from him were born to die. We all have this sinful flesh which brings death. From our sin infected hearts come all desires that reject that which is good. Our sinful nature gravitates toward that which is bad. We wrongfully try to take away the good gifts given to our neighbor whether it be the gift of life, fathers, mothers, marriage, possession, reputation, etc…
To fallen creation, it is bad news to know that God is the Creator and He alone is good. The all-knowing God knows all of our sins. The all-powerful God punishes us for our sins. The sinful flesh must be put to death. Those religions of the world that do not believe and teach the doctrine of the Holy Trinity have no hope in the life to come. They remain part of the fallen creation that is in a state of rebellion with its Creator. No matter how they try, they cannot amend for their sin nor gain the Creator’s favor.
However, to fallen creation it is good news to know that God Himself took upon creation being born of a woman. Here we learn the distinction between the person of the Father and the person of the Son. The Father sent the Son. In the holy Incarnation, the second person of the Holy Trinity was born that we might live. For in Him is life. But we crucified Him. Our sin brought upon His death. But in a strange turn of events His death brings life. St. Peter declares in our second reading, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24, ESV) He died a cursed death becoming a curse for us. He took what was bad and made it good. Thus, we call the Friday on which He was crucified good. Christ offered Himself to God the Father through the eternal Spirit. (Hebrews 9:14) As St. Paul says in Ephesians chapter two, “through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18, ESV)
The doctrine of the Holy Trinity teaches us the complete story. It is God alone who creates us, redeems us, and sanctifies us. To know Christ is to know God. To have Jesus is to have the Father. It is Christ who has reconciled us to the Father. In Christ, we have God’s favor. We are well pleasing to the Father for the sake of the Son.
The Father and the Son send the Spirit. St. Peter declares, “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.” (Acts 2:33, ESV) Just as the Spirit hovered over the waters at creation and washes us in the waters of the new creation, He continues to be poured out upon us by Jesus. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11, ESV) The Spirit continues to sanctify us.
As those who have been baptized, we have the Name of the Living God. As disciples, we are continuing to live out our baptism which means dying to our old nature that wants to rebel against God and at the same time living as adopted sons of God who desire to do the Lord’s will. As disciples, we are continuing to learn all that Jesus has taught. As disciples, we continue to rejoice in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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