On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Sunday: God is one and God is three: One divine essence, three Divine Persons.
By Deacon Frederick Bartels
11 June 2017
It has been the constant belief of the Church that God is Triune, a plurality of Persons. God is one and God is three. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three distinct divine Persons, co-equal and indivisible, who possess equally and totally one divine nature. All the divine Persons are one in Being; one God. This is not polytheism. The Church is not saying that there are three gods, or that there are three separate and essentially different persons, but rather there are three distinct divine Persons who equally are God by nature and of the same divine substance/essence.
In holding this belief—the dogma of the Holy Trinity—the Church is unique. That is, it is only in the Church, as a matter of the deposit of her divine faith, and in accordance with the Christian religion she transmits, in which we find belief in the dogma of the Holy Trinity. Why is this the case? It is because this dogma is revealed by God, by Jesus Christ himself, the perfect image of the Father and the fullness of God’s revelation. The dogma of the Holy Trinity consists of God’s own self-disclosure of the inner secrets and mystery of the life of the Godhead. God is sharing the mystery of his life with us! Why did he do this? In order that we may the better know and love him.
The video below discusses the dogma of the Holy Trinity as well as the temporal mission of the Tripersonal God, which is ordered toward the restoration and reunification of humankind with God.
Christ’s peace.
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Photo: Deacon Frederick Bartels. All rights reserved.
Deacon Frederick Bartels is a member of the Catholic clergy who serves the Church in the diocese of Pueblo. He holds an MA in Theology and Educational Ministry, is a member of the theology faculty at Catholic International University, and is a Catholic educator, public speaker, and evangelist who strives to infuse culture with the saving principles of the gospel. For more, visit YouTube, iTunes and Twitter.
Son the perfect reflection of the Father, Holy Spirit the reflection of the love each has for the other. This is a helpful explanation of this mystery.
I’d been looking for info to explain the Apostles’ Creed, specifically “the resurrection of the body” for year 1 and 2s and I came across your reflection on the Transfiguration and its pointing to our resurrection on the last day. Liked that and then saw you had more to offer at joyintruth.
Clear explanation of the history of this dogma.
Thank you.
God bless