Family as little Holy Trinity
Once a pious woman who was bringing a bunch of novenabooklets to church met the parish priest. He asked, "Who is your favorite saint?" "Of course, I like the Blessed Virgin Mary best! But I also like her sister!"
"Her sister? Who is she?" asked the priest.
"Santa Trinidad."
Of course, the Virgin Mary had no sister and the amusing story only shows how difficult it is to understand the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (in Spanish, Santa Trinidad).
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St. Patrick, a missionary to Ireland, used as analogy the shamrock leaf. It has three leaflets on one stem. Others use the example of water, which can exist in three different forms — ice, liquid, and steam, but they’re one and the same water.
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Why should we Christians believe in a difficult, mysterious three-in-one
God? It’s simply because Jesus Christ revealed it to us when He came to our world. The Lord said: “The Father and I are one.” “I will send to you the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth.” Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus said: “Go into the whole world; teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.”
* * * However, the Holy Trinity is not completely beyond comprehension. God communicated Himself and the Trinitarian family to mankind in a human form that could be felt, touched, heard, and understood THROUGH Jesus Christ.
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Through Christ, God the Father revealed His main attribute which is love. This Sunday’s gospel declares: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (Jn 3: 16).
Moreover, love is the bond that unites the Trinitarian family of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If there’s ever a most appropriate place where the love of the Holy Trinity can be reflected, it is in the family.
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The family becomes a “little Holy Trinity” when family members show love, caring, and respect for one another.
Once a young boy doing his homework approached his father and asked: “Papa, how do wars begin? The father answered, “Well, war begins when, for example, the USA attacks Britain; then Britain retaliates.”
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The mother, who was within hearing distance, intervened: “How could that happen? USA and Britain are allies!”
“That’s just an example!” the husband retorted.
“And how do you expect a child to learn with wrong examples!” the wife shot back.
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Irked, the husband replied, “But that is only an example… Why are you meddling? Would you shut up!”
“You shut up, too!” the wife snapped. “What you’re teaching is wrong!” And the two engaged in a hot dispute.
The son raised his voice and said: “Papa, Mama, that’s enough! Now I know how wars begin.”
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The above story illustrates that there is no perfect family, unlike the Trinitarian family, simply because family members are only human.
Other ways that can fracture family relationship are infidelity of a spouse, bad example of parents, disrespect and disobedience of children towards their elders.
Since family members can err and make mistakes, there’s the constant need for forgiveness and reconciliation. As a writer puts it: “Marriage is the institution of two forgivers.”
* * * Finally, let’s be aware of the Holy Trinity by praying more attentively the Trinitarian prayer: “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was…. ” Also, when we make the Sign of the Cross.
* * * LAUGH WITH GOD. A certain politician was asked, “Who is the First
Person of the Holy Trinity?”
The questioner expected him to answer “God the Father” but the politician said: “Harold.”
“Harold?” replied the puzzled man. “How come?”
“Listen to this,” he said: “Our Father who art in heaven HAROLD be thy name…’ See, Harold is his name!” (He meant ‘hallowed’).
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