The Trinity
Video Resources
The Holy Trinity
Trying to understand the mystery of the Trinity.
Concepts
The doctrine of the Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them.
The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the "consubstantial Trinity". The divine persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire.
Matthew 28:19 Revised Standard Version 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
2 Corinthians 13:13: The apostolic blessing (Grace of Jesus, Love of God, Communion of the Holy Spirit).
John 10:30: "I and the Father are one".
Genesis: All three are present at creation (e.g., Genesis 1:1-3, where God speaks, His Spirit hovers, and the Word brings things into being).
Liturgy: Sacramental Formula: The most essential Trinitarian act is baptism, which is performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Sign of the Cross: Catholics invoke the Trinity at the start and end of Mass and when blessing themselves, representing both the faith in God and the actions of Christ.
Questions & Answers
This is a profound mystery that surpasses human understanding. The Trinity means that there is one God who exists eternally as three distinct persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, yet there is only one God. They are distinguished by their relations of origin: the Father generates, the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
The Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith because it reveals who God is in His inner life. Understanding the Trinity helps us grasp God's nature as a communion of love, which is the model for all Christian relationships. Through Baptism, we are brought into relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We experience the Trinity through prayer, sacraments, and our relationship with God. We pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. In the Eucharist, we encounter Christ who brings us to the Father by the power of the Spirit. The Trinity's life of love flows into our lives, enabling us to love God and one another.