I sign myself with a cross in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. According to the Latin calendar, this falls on the Sunday after the feast of Pentecost or on 9th Sunday after the Easter. Catholics trained in the old school of numerous prayer forms, we shift our triple time capsule remembrance of the paschal mysteries, from Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven) to the Angelus (The Angel).
In my childhood, I have hardly ever heard about this feast. It was only after joining the seminary, this feast came to my notice. We learnt an English hymn which had a powerful chorus - Glory to the Trinity, the undivided unity, Father Son and Spirit one, from whom all life and goodness come.
The funny story that comes to my mind is about 'catechism' (vedopadesham) before one's marriage in the Church. One's knowledge of the basic tenets of the Church is verified by the parish priest. So one has to learn the basic teachings of the church, and appear for an oral interview. To the aspirant, one of the questions was: 'how many persons are there in God', vaguely remembering his school catechism, the young man said, three. The parish priest responded with a stressed grunt, and asked again, 'only three'. Now he was confused, there were so many numbers to be juggled with in the Catechism - 4 (cardinal virtues), 7 (sins, gifts), 10 (commandments) 12 (fruits of the Holy Spirit), 14 (deeds of charity), 30 (silver coins), 33 (the divine age), 40 (days of fasting), 50 (days of waiting).... He tried one after the other ending in 50. The priest sent him away, asking him to learn Catechism afresh and appear. As he stepped out, his friend was approaching. It was the season for marriage, he was also due to marry. A told B, how many persons are there in God. He responded confidently, 3. A: hmmm! Try your luck! I raised it up to 50, even then he was not agreeing to! Better find some apt number!!
In fact, often I am confronted with the question of this three in one formula which is a 'dogma', and claimed to have been revealed through Jesus Christ. I wonder whether Jesus ever bothered about the 3 persons.
We have another story that borders around mysticism, told by the great story collector, Anthony De Mello. The review visit of missionaries to the long forgotten island evangelised decades ago. Initially there were only 3 of them who got baptised. From them gradually all were said to have become Christians, but no priest, no ministry, no sacraments... The bishop leading the missionary team was appalled to find their near total lack of the fundamentals of Christian Doctrine. They didn't know any of the prayers. The long lack of pastoral care seemed to have done the harm. The only prayer they finally had was: 'you are three we are three have mercy on us'. Bishop decided to set things right. Stayed on the island for a few days. Managed to teach them Our Father with great difficulty. Then he departed with the satisfaction that he had revived a community into the right track. After his rounds of visits, his ship was passing by the island, and it was getting dark, and he gazed at the island with some amount of contentment of having revived them in true Christian tradition. Then to his great surprise, he saw the three leaders of the community coming to the ship over the waters, walking. The reached the ship, and said that they recognized the missionary team passing by, and took the opportunity to get instructed in the Lord's prayer, as after couple of days, they could not recollect the new one, and were forced to revert to the only prayer they knew. You are three, we are three, have mercy on us! The Bishop was honest enough to be humbled - he said, in future, you need to pray that only!! (Said to have been originally from Leo Tolstoy, Three Hermits 1886). I read this again in retired US Methodist Clergy Cindy Serio's blog 'Sabado', and she ends with the prayer: "I am one, you are one, have mercy on me". That also appears perfectly fitting!
In what way that number and its knowledge is helpful in being a better human being is the relevant question. After all, in Jesus' own words, eternal life is nothing but to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He had sent Jn 17:3). All other dogmatism and definitions, in the strict sense are presumption, and tall claims.
Trinity gives one a challenge and inspiration to live - in families and communities, the collective life of 'oneness' in spite of the distinctive differences between individuals. Jesus' claim and prayer invite us to this model of unity 'that they may be one, even as we are one - Father, I in you and you in me (Jn 17: ). This unity is made possible by the unreserved sharing and openness to each other - 'whatever I have is yours, and whatever you have is mine' (Jn 17: ).
As human beings growth into this level of unreserved and unconditional sharing of one's being and having is what leads to oneness and unity. The feast of the trinity is nothing but the celebration of this communion of Christian life - celebration of this image and likeness of God in humans (Gen 1:26) - the potential and possibility of 'greater oneness' of all humans after God.
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