The Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity

The mystery of the Trinity is not a myth. It is not a mirage. It is not a puzzle that cannot be solved or resolved. It is not what we cannot know or understand. We can understand the Trinity to the extent human mind can understand the profound mystery of God.

We know that there is only one God. In this one God, we have three divine persons-Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the  Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father. Though the three divine persons are different, they are also equal. The Father is not superior to the Son. The Son is neither inferior or superior to the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not inferior or superior to the Father and the Son. All are equal. There is no rivalry, competition, and struggle among them. The three persons are united in love and as one. There is harmony, understanding, sharing and unity among them.

The Trinity provides some valuable lessons for us. First, the Trinity is a community. The Trinity is a community of three divine persons. God also intends that we live in community. It is the will of God that human beings live harmoniously in communities. No man is an island. It is not good for a man or woman to live alone. We are created as social beings to live in love, unity, and interdependence in human communities.

Second, the three persons of the Trinity are equal. None is inferior or superior to the other. Inspite of differences in quantity and quality of our gifts and possesions, all human beings are equal before God. No human being is superior or inferior to the other. We all enjoy the equal dignity of imago dei. Power, money, position, influence, education and achievements should not make us feel that we are superior to others. Those who enjoy power, positions, money and leverage should not feel superior to those who do not have these things. "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" - this is the type of equality invented by humans, not the equality intended by God. Those who have no power, money, positions and influence should not feel inferior to those who have these things.

Third, the three persons of the Trinity are different from each other. God also intends differences in our world. Differences in language, cultures, race are intended by God. God wants each one of us to be different, unique and be comfortable with our differences. Our differences can enrich us. We can accept, appreciate, and even celebrate our differences. Our differences must never be the cause of discrimination and division.

Our Lady of Sorrows

Who could ever imagine the excruciating pain and enormous suffering of our Lady at the foot of the cross? What sorrow is greater that the pain of a mother who witnessed the execution of her only child? Mary was present at the foot of the cross. She saw the pain, agony and suffering of her only Son.

From the moment she conceived Jesus in her womb, Mary shared every aspect of the mission and ministry of Jesus.  But the climax was her sharing of the suffering of Jesus on the cross. At the foot of the cross she saw her Son ‘bruised, derided, cursed and defiled.’  She saw her Son gasping for his last breath. Nothing could be more painful to a mother. Nothing could be more dreadful. The prophesy of Simeon was fulfilled. A sword pieced the soul of Mary (Lk 2:35).

Yet Mary accepted the immolation of her Son with faith. She accepted everything with utter submission and resignation to the will of God. According to Vatican II, “the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and loyally persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan (Cf. Jn 19:25), suffering grievously with her only begotten Son. There she united herself with her maternal heart to his sacrifice and lovingly consented to the immolation of this Victim which she herself had brought forth” (Lumen Gentium, n. 58).

Mary reminds us that our place is at the foot of the cross. Like Mary we offer our little discomforts, sufferings, and pains as a sharing in the suffering of Christ. If we share in the suffering of Christ, we shall also share in His glory (Rom 8:17).  Mary also teaches us how to accept the tragedies of life (like the loss of our loved ones) with faith, submission and resignation to the will of God. The best way we can confront the tragedies of life is the way of the cross.  The way of the cross is the Christian way.   It is the road less travelled. But it is the only way that leads to glory.

Cast Your Net into the Deep Again

Peter a professional fisherman and his friends went to the sea for fishing. They worked hard all night long without a single catch. Worn out and run down, he came to the shore. He was embarrassingly disappointed. Jesus a professional carpenter asked despondent Peter to cast out his nets again. Peter answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”  Peter protested first but obeyed at last. He cast his nets again. He caught so much fish that he needed some help to haul his nets ashore (Lk 5:1-7).


Disappointments As Blessing in Disguise

Life can be very difficult and irksome. Setbacks and Disappointments can thwart our noble attempts to succeed in life. Nevertheless, disappointments can initiate soul searching, uncover our oversights and provide fresh insights; open our minds to new opportunities and horizons. In other words, disappointments can be a blessing in disguise.

The failure and disappointment of Peter provided for him an opportunity to experience the abundance of divine providence. Paulo Coelho says “when you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”


The Courage to Dare

Peter enjoyed bountiful catch because he had the courage to dare again. He had a million reasons not to make another attempt. Against all odds, he tried again. And this time he succeeded. If we dare to try again, to our pleasant surprise, what is impossible will become possible; obstacles will be crushed; dreams will become reality.

Success belongs to those who will dare to believe, hope and try again. We must never stop trying again. Les Brown says “anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead.”  As long as we have the courage to dare, try again, our success is absolutely guaranteed.

The Price of Giving Up

If we will not cast our nets again, if we give up in ourselves, we will lose everything.  When we stop trying and start giving excuses, we are only inviting failures. When we give up and give in to despair we begin to go down a spiral; talents atrophy; opportunities are wasted; we descend so fast and so low; we settle for less and eventually settle for nothing. We lose everything.

Despair and excuse can never guarantee success, if anything, they exacerbate the unsavoury situation. The greatest evil in the world is not failure or setbacks. The greatest evil in the world is lack of courage to dare, lack of desire to try again. The greatest evil in the world is loss of confidence, enthusiasm and energy to try again. There is nothing as tragic as giving up on oneself when success is inches away. If we retire, we expire.

A Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen, Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin;

Chosen by the most holy Father in heaven, consecrated by Him, with His most holy beloved Son and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
On you descended and in you still remains all the fullness of grace and ever good.
Hail His Palace.Hail His Tabernacle.Hail His Robe.Hail His Handmaid.Hail His Mother.
And hail, all holy Virtues, who, by the grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are poured into the hearts of the faithful, so that, faithless no longer, they may be made faithful servants of God through you. Amen.

- St Francis of Assisi

Hidden Reason For Difficult Events Of Life

Everything happens for a reason. The reason may be obscure. Yet there is a purpose for everything in divine providence. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Gen 37: 12-36). After so many years, Joseph confronted his treacherous brothers in Egypt. He broke down in tears before his brothers-tears of affection and tenderness for his greatest enemies (Gen 45).

The reaction of Joseph to his brothers was rather curious. We would expect Joseph to be very angry; to fret and fume, to rage and form. Joseph could have debased, dehumanized and demoralized his brothers. However he chose the path of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Throughout the difficult years of his incarceration and slavery, Joseph was edified and fortified by the belief that everything happens for a reason. He believed that every event unfolds according to the plan of God and for a purpose. He saw the hand of God guiding the events of his life. As if God was personally supervising his history.

In the darkest and dreariest moments of his life, when he was at his nadir, he believed that God can make all things work together for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28). This is the reason Joseph was generous to forgive his brothers. He realized that “hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”  In the bogs of doubt, quicksand of fear and winds of anxiety he held on to this truth. Later he saw the big picture- how God used his personal tragedy to save his people.

Joseph did not come to the conclusion that everything happens for a reason in a flash. He spent so many years trying to make sense of his pitiable condition. He must have stayed awake many nights trying to understand the unusual path of his life. This belief is a fruit of years of reflection and soul-searching. It is an inverse insight gained from so many trials and pains. It is the grain of wisdom that helped him to become one of the most outstanding figures in Jewish history.

The conviction that everything happens for a purpose is not a justification for evil in the world. This conviction is not a chimera. It is not a theodicy. It is not an expression of fatalism or determinism. This conviction may not solve all our problems. It may even sound unreasonable or meaningless in the face of tragedies of life. Yet it is a profound Christian truth that helps us to put all our (negative) experiences in the proper perspective. It helps us to see the big picture. It can save us from bitterness, cynicism, pessimism and self pity. This belief can furnish us with fresh hope and the strength to carry on in the face of absurdities of life.

Everything happens for a purpose. This truth is far more profound than facile serendipity. Even the most unfortunate event in life can actualize the plan of God, help us to develop our potentials, and provide an opportunity for tremendous growth. God is not the cause of evil in the world. He takes no pleasure in human suffering and miseries. But God can bring good out of evil.

God’s providence ensures that every event ultimately fulfils God’s plans. God’s ways are mysterious and inscrutable. His ways are not our ways and his thoughts not our thoughts (Is 55:8-9). “Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.”

The Last Will Be First

The parable of the labourers in the vineyard seems to insult our sense of justice and fairness. Labourers came to work at different hours. And at the end of the day, they all received the same wage. Those who came first complained about this ‘injustice.’ They believed they were unjustly treated; they believed they deserved more.  We may share the sentiments of the first labourers. We too believe that those who do more should receive more and those who do less should receive less. Jesus employs this parable to challenge our notion of merit, time and superiority.


Eternal Life is a Gratuitous Gift

In human affairs, a wage is based on merit. It is something that can be earned. The amount of work can determine the size of a wage. Huge amount of work can translate into huge amount of wage. A wage is never a gift (Rom 4:4). It is a right. But this idea of a wage is not applicable to eternal life.

Eternal life is not a ‘wage’ or a ‘reward’ for our labours or efforts. Eternal life is absolutely gratuitous. There is nothing we can do to ‘merit’ it. Strictly speaking nobody can merit heaven by his efforts, labour, even his good works alone. Eternal life will always remain a free gift from God. Our prayers, devotions and good works are necessary but not sufficient to win for us eternal life. It is only by the grace of God that we can receive it. We cannot earn it by our efforts. But we can receive it as an underserved and unmerited gift of God.


A Day Like A Thousand Years

We exist in time. We use time. We need time to make sense of our lives. We see almost everything from the perspective of time. For us, time can be long or short; time can be more or less. Time is a quantity. Again this idea of time is not applicable to eternal life.

God existed before time began. God created time. God reckons ‘time’ from the perspective of eternity. For God a day or an hour does not exist.  From divine perspective, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day (2Pet 3:8). God cannot be too early or too late. If God gives the same reward to those who came early and those who came late, it is because He does not operate with earthly time. God is not bound to reckon time the way we do.


The Last Will Be First

We refer to those who come first as seniors and those who come last as juniors. And we believe that the seniors deserve more and that the juniors deserve less. The senior should enjoy some privileges and leverage. There is no equality between seniors and juniors.

God does not subscribe to our notion of superiority and inferiority.  Jesus says "the last will be first and the first will be last" (Matt 20:16). God rewards as He pleases, as His generosity dictates. God does not owe us anything. All his gifts are gratuitous. We should be grateful for whatever we receive. There is no justification for envy. Those who receive more should not boast and those who receive less should not complain.

The Truth About Lying

Lying is a common human phenomenon. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to find an adult who does not tell lies (at least once in a while). Most people tell lies all the time. St Augustine wrote a short but profound treatise on lying (De Mendacio). What makes a statement a lie is the intention to deceive.

According to Augustine, “ a man lies who has one thing in his mind and utters another in words or by signs of whatever kind.”  In order to deceive a liar must have what St Augustine calls ‘double heart’.  The liar’s double heart consists of two things. First, what he knows or thinks to be true and he decides not to say. Second, what he says knowing or thinking that it is false. He defines truth as “that which sets free from all error” and falsehood as “that  which entangles in all error.”


Not All Falsehood Is A Lie

St Augustine argues that not everyone who makes a false statement tells lies. If person says something that is false while he believes it to be true in his heart, he is not telling lies. The person who makes false statement believing it to be true is not telling lies because he has no intention to deceive; he does not have double heart because what he says corresponds to what he believes.

Though he is not telling lies, he is in error. “His error lies in the fact that he believes what he should not believe or thinks he knows what he does not know.” St Paul teaching strict observance of the law as means of attaining salvation was not lying. He truly believed what he taught. He later realized that he was in error.


A True Statement Can Be A Lie

It is also possible to say something that is true and still be guilty of lying. A person that makes a true statement believing it to be false with the intention of deceiving is actually lying. He believes something to be false in order to deceive though what he says turns out to be true.

If John says he is the son the president in order to deceive and defraud, without knowing that he is actually the lost son of the president. He is lying though his statement is true. When he utters the statement he believes in his heart that it is false, though he utters it as true. He has a ‘double heart.’ There is a dichotomy between what he believes and what he says.


Truth Sets You Free

Whether a person lies or not does not depend on the objective veracity or falsity of his statement. What determines whether a person lies is his state of mind- his intention to deceive. When a person has an intention to deceive, whether what he says is true or false, he is lying. Veracity or falsity is a matter of logic. Lying is a matter of morality. The intention to deceive is immoral. Only the truth can set us free (Jn 8:32).