Being Catholic means we love some mystery. We embrace it because who could possibly understand or explain completely God and His ways? And if we're upfront about it. Every time we celebrate mass, we say, "We celebrate these sacred mysteries." Because we know we understand a lot, but we don't understand everything. I mean, who could possibly explain the Eucharist and transubstantiation, how the wine and the bread becomes the body and blood of Jesus? That's a mystery. Or the stigmata of Saint Francis, St. Catherine, and so many others. How does that happen, that they bear on their bodies the very wounds of Jesus.? That's a mystery.
But maybe the greatest mystery of them all is the Trinity. We hear those marvelous questions asked at every baptism we attend, "Do you believe in God, the Father? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord? And do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" Or the Holy Ghost. In other words, is God one? Yes, He is. Is God three? Yes, He is. How can this be? Yes.
Who
could possibly explain God and his ways? God is three Persons relating to one
another in communion. Three and one at the same time. Love defines God. He is
love. He can do no other. It's His essence. Love is who God is. It's not merely
what God does. In some ways, He's just like a family. You and I both know that
families contain a lot of mystery. The biggest mystery in a family, what in the
world ever caused Mom to fall in love with Dad? Mystery. But the best question
is this, what's holding this family together? And I hope your answer is love,
because that's true for God too. Three Persons, yes. One nature, yes. All God.
Bonded together in love, with love, for love. That's God. That's why we make
the sign of the cross. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And it reminds
us, reminds you and me, that we belong to a great family. We belong to the
family of God.
Two weeks ago, I gathered with my family to lay to rest my 93 year-old Aunt
Helen. Family members travelled from Miami and Clearwater Florida, they came
from Connecitcut with their three children. Friends and relatives of Kathy who was
Helen’s daughter-in-law and who served as caregiver for Aunt Helen for over 35
years. We were invited to her home after the funeral service at the cemetery to
share memories of Helen’s faith and contagious joy and love for God and family,
I came away from this family reunion to know that this was a God moment. God was
indeed present in the love we shared for our aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother,
neighbor and friend.
Whenever someone would visit my Aunt Helen, she promised to pray for them and say, "God is good," and she would have us reply, "All the time." "God is good," and we say, "All the time." And then I shared with my family that if we were in Haiti, oftentimes the leader will say, "God is sweet," and the people will respond, "God is sweet." Yes. Yes, he is. So just before I left this family reunion and celebration of our dear Aunt Helen, I extended this blessing, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who humbly accept the reality that the trinity is a mystery, our family is a mystery but we are bonded in love and remember to say to one another God is sweet, all the time.
