The Holy Trinity

An Interesting Revelation

As a Catholic Christian, I have not been too concerned about trying to "get" the Holy Trinity, of God the Father, God the Son in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  I have just accepted it as given, and as a mystery.

So, yesterday at mass for the celebration of the Trinity, I was not prepared for what I learned during the homily.  The homilist was Deacon Bob Hartman, and I am sure that he gave a good homily.  He always does.  But, I only heard and remember one word.

While he was speaking, something was happening inside of me, and I was coming to understand, as well as I can, as a mere mortal, one of the great mysteries of our faith.

I started to realise that I am, as a man, both a father and a son.  To my deceased parents, I was always their son, distinctly so.  You all probably know how mothers can treat their adult children like they are still young children in need of their parental love.  But, to my own children, I am their father, distinctly so again.  They do not think of me as a son, but as their father, hopefully the one who loves them no matter what they do or say.

Then, I heard the one word from the homily that pulled it all together for me.  Deacon Bob spoke of the Holy Spirit as Spouse.  Well, I was sitting beside my spouse at the moment, as I am hers, and realised that she sees me as her spouse.  She does understand that I am a father, and a son, but to her on a day to day basis I am her spouse.

Suddenly, I saw that I am father, son, and spouse; in other words made in the image of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Each of my three natures is distinct to those who need it, see it, or think about it.  Yet, I am one person in those three natures.

So, why can't God have similar distinct natures wrapped into one person?