Dear Friends,
Trinity Sunday is a significant feast in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as other Christian denominations. It is celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. Trinity Sunday is a special occasion that is dedicated to celebrating the central mystery of the Christian faith—the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On this day, believers around the world reflect on the nature of God as revealed in Scripture and affirmed by tradition. One of the key passages often read and meditated upon is in todays Gospel, Matthew 28:16-20, commonly known as the “Great Commission.”
In Matthew’s Gospel, we encounter Jesus giving His final instructions to His disciples before ascending to heaven. Gathered on a mountain in Galilee, the disciples receive the profound commission from their Master: “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.” This command creates the essence of the Christian mission and underscores the triune nature of God’s identity and it’s called the Trinitarian formula. This command is present at every Christian baptism, the pouring of water and the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
This formula affirms the Christian belief in the triune God, three distinct persons existing in perfect unity and harmony. It emphasizes the inseparable relationship between the Father, who creates and sustains all things; the Son, who redeems humanity through His sacrificial death and resurrection; and the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers and guides them in their journey of faith.
As we observe Holy Trinity Sunday and reflect on the Great Commission, let us be reminded of the richness of our faith and the privilege of participating in God’s mission. May we be strengthened by the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may our lives bear witness to the transformative power of the gospel.
In obedience to Christ’s command, let us go forth with confidence, knowing that He is with us always, guiding and sustaining us in His mission of love and reconciliation, just as the Gospel of Matthew concludes with the following words “And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world…”
– Deacon Ray
To learn more about the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, click here.
