Homily on the Feast of the Blessed Trinity, 4 June 2023, DBTC Cebu City
Some years ago a young lady came to me with her boyfriend. But they were not yet getting married as you might probably think so. They came because her boyfriend had lots of questions about religion. So I received them in my office and began listening to his questions. Ruby’s boyfriend, Robby (not their real names) said that he actually believes in God but not so much in religion. He believes science more than any religion in this world. And although he respects her girlfriend’s strong religiosity and active involvement in church, he said that he just couldn’t understand many things about the Catholic faith.
For example he couldn’t understand why God had to become a man. So he asked: granted that the universe is so vast that it contains millions and millions of stars, and each star may actually have its own solar system with planets orbiting around each star, how is it possible that God should have a special love for this planet called earth, so much so that he had to come down to us, and become a human being like us? If he is indeed all-powerful he could actually leave the world to run on its own. But why should he micro-manage a tiny little planet like ours?
I was glad to hear that very puzzling question from him because I recall that many years ago that was the same question I had when I was still in the seminary. So after some quiet thought, I tried to answer him this way.
God is so powerful. His power is not only in megawatts or in terabytes, it is infinitely beyond that. And actually he does not need to micro manage us. But because he is a God in three divine persons, which also means he is a God with a personal touch, he freely chose to somehow “micro-manage” the world, especially when sin entered into the picture. This is what we proclaim today on this solemn feast of the Holy Trinity. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” With God’s entrance into our world the amazing power of his love has been more clearly manifested.
Brothers and sisters, God the Creator of the vast universe can choose to simply remain in the heavens and watch over us from a distance, and yet, the good news is that he chose to come down to earth by sending his Son, not to condemn us sinners for destroying what in creation he has done but to forgive us and repair the damage we have done. That is what we proclaim as the power of God’s love. We can never fully understand why he had to do it. What we know is that we cannot fully undo all the damages caused by our sins. And the only reason God had in his heart for entering our world and becoming like one of us is love, love for the precious man and woman he created; love for you and me so that he can save us from our total destruction and grant us eternal life.
I was telling Robby and Ruby that there could be many other planets out there especially in neighboring solar systems where people and other forms of life could probably also exist. We don’t know yet in what way God shows his love and care for them. But what we do know comes from our own experience of being loved by God the Father who created us, by God the Son who redeemed us and by God the Holy Spirit who sanctifies and empowers us. His love is super infinite and yet so intimate that we can feel it and experience it in a very personal way, for truly while he is the All-powerful God he is also the All-personal God.
And aside from his only begotten and most beloved Son, the Father also sent his Spirit to us in order to empower us to participate in the mystery of his divine love. What does that really mean? It simply means that in a world marked by selfishness, hatred and violence, we can now love selflessly like him. We are now empowered to love others in the same way that he loved us without counting the cost. Therefore, we, who gather today to worship the Trinitarian God on this most solemn feast of the Holy Trinity, are called to make his love the standard of all living and loving. Whenever we strive to resolve every conflict and try to overcome every trial in our relationships, whether in the family or in the community… whenever we try to put aside our hurts and focus rather on the giftedness of each person – no matter how small and insignificant he or she might be – we are actually proclaiming our faith in the Trinitarian God who chose the way of love, mercy and compassion; a selfless God who even emptied himself as a man and died on the cross to give us, undeserving sinners, the hope of redemption.
Recently I had a chance to see the places where Don Bosco started his work for poor and abandoned youth in the city of Turin, Northern Italy. Very few people know that when Don Bosco was ordained a priest he was offered an assignment to be a private chaplain of a wealthy family, and at the same time a tutor to the couple’s children. But surprisingly he refused to accept it, knowing in his heart that his mission was to become a sign and bearer of God’s love for the poorest and most abandoned youth, as shown to him in his mysterious dream at nine years old. And so while he lost a very lucrative ministry, he on the other hand gained the favor of God.
With the guidance of his spiritual director Don Bosco gradually found the right path in which he could begin his God-given mission in Valdocco, the poorest district of Turin, where the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians stands today. We can say that despite growing up without experiencing a father’s love, Don Bosco was able to show to the youth of his time the selfless love of a father and teacher dedicated to their total well-being, most especially to the salvation of their souls. Hence in him the youth saw an image of a loving God who was near and very much present in their midst, exuding kindness, patience, gentleness and compassion. And they in turn were eventually empowered to become good Christians and honest citizens capable of selfless loving and purposeful living.
We too, like Don Bosco, are challenged today to become signs and bearers of God’s love for each other especially for the most neglected members of our family, and for the poorest members of our community. May the Eucharist we celebrate empower us to participate more actively in the love of the Trinitarian God, and bind us more fully into the one family, one community and one Church God wants us to be. GiGsss!
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