What is the Holy Trinity? Is it Really God?
In a word, the Holy Trinity – or the Triune God – is God Himself.
The dogma of the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith. Wait, before we continue, did you catch that? The teaching of the Holy Trinity is a dogma (i.e. a must be believed truth) of the Christian faith. And we know something about this dogma because God Himself has revealed it through the Incarnation of His Son and the subsequent “sending” of the Holy Spirit: “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (Jn 16:7).
Though the human mind can never fully comprehend the dogma of the Holy Trinity this side of Heaven, we are able to approach an understanding through what’s been divinely revealed to the Church throughout the centuries. The Catechism of the Catholic Church points out three specific realities about the Trinity that we should know … and which are also so often misunderstood:
Three realities to know
First, the Holy Trinity is One. Christians do not believe in three gods, but in one God in three distinct Persons: “The divine Persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire (253). In the most simple of terms, think of this concept like a window curtain. While the window curtain is one piece of cloth, there exists three separate folds therein. Even though there exists three folds, it is still one curtain. Similarly, while the Holy Trinity is one God, it beholds three distinct Persons.
Second, the three divine Persons of the Trinity are truly distinct from one another. “‘Father’, ‘Son’, and ‘Holy Spirit’ are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are truly distinct from one another … they are distinct from one another in relations of origin — it is the Father Who generates, the Son Who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit Who proceeds” (254).
Third, the distinction of persons in the Trinity “resides solely in the relationships which relate them to one another … While they are called three Persons in view of their relations, we believe in one nature or substance … the Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Son is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Son” (255).
The mystery of the Holy Trinity
It should be highlighted here that the mystery of the Holy Trinity itself can only be made known to us by revelation. “The Father no man knoweth but the Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27). Our Lord revealed this mystery to His Church when He said to His apostles before His ascension, “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
Old Testament
It is also interesting to note that in the time of the Old Testament the Jewish priests, when they blessed the people, had to repeat the name of God three times (Numb. 6:23). Isaiah tells us that the seraphim in Heaven cry, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts” (Is. 6:3). Before the creation, God said, “Let us make man” (Gen. 1:26). David says, “The Lord said to My Lord, sit on My right hand.” But before the Incarnation the mystery of the Blessed Trinity was veiled in a cloud which was only dispelled under the New Law. “The Church,” says St. Hilary, “knows this mystery. The synagogue believed it not. Philosophy understood it not.” You see, the Holy Trinity was even known, albeit partly, in the time of the Old Testament.
To conclude
Through Baptism, every Christian is called to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity, “in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” We share this life of faith under a veil of understanding during this life, yet in eternal light and the fullness of understanding in the next.
Two Powerful Prayers to the Holy Trinity
While the dogmatic teaching on the Holy Trinity will always remain, in part, a mystery this side of Heaven, we are wise to express our gratitude to the Triune God for what He accomplishes in and through us, as well as for His divine revelation of Himself to His Church (for our sake!). We can do this by praying this beautiful prayer of thanksgiving from St. Catherine of Siena, which can be found in her Dialogue on Divine Providence:
Prayer of Thanksgiving by St. Catherine of Siena
O Eternal God! O Eternal Trinity! Through the union of Thy divine nature Thou hast made so precious the Blood of Thine only-begotten Son! O eternal Trinity, Thou art as deep a mystery as the sea, in whom the more I seek, the more I find; and the more I find, the more I seek. For even immersed in the depths of Thee, my soul is never satisfied, always famished and hungering for Thee, eternal Trinity, wishing and desiring to see Thee, the True Light.
O eternal Trinity, with the light of understanding I have tasted and seen the depths of Thy mystery and the beauty of Thy creation. In seeing myself in Thee, I have seen that I will become like Thee. O eternal Father, from Thy power and Thy wisdom clearly Thou hast given to me a share of that wisdom which belongs to Thine Only-begotten Son. And truly hast the Holy Spirit, who procedeth from Thee, Father and Son, given to me the desire to love Thee.
O eternal Trinity, Thou art my maker and I am Thy creation. Illuminated by Thee, I have learned that Thou hast made me a new creation through the Blood of Thine Only-begotten Son because Thou art captivated by love at the beauty of Thy creation.
O eternal Trinity, O Divinity, O unfathomable abyss, O deepest sea, what greater gift could Thou givest me then Thy very Self? Thou art a fire that burns eternally yet never consumed, a fire that consumes with Thy heat my self-love. Again and again Thou art the fire who taketh away all cold heartedness and illuminateth the mind by Thy light, the light with which Thou hast made me to know Thy truth.
By this mirrored light I know Thou are the highest good, a good above all good, a fortunate good, an incomprehensible good, an unmeasurable good, a beauty above all beauty, a wisdom above all wisdom, for Thou art wisdom itself, the food of angels, the fire of love that Thou givest to man.
Thou art the garment covering our nakedness. Thou feedest our family with Thy sweetness, a sweetness Thou art from which there is no trace of bitterness. O Eternal Trinity! Amen.
Prayer of Adoration to the Holy Trinity
And here is one more short prayer of adoration to the Holy Trinity referred by its Latin name, O SanctissimaTrinitas:
O most Holy Trinity,
I adore You
Who dwell by Your grace in my soul.
Sanctify me more and more,
make me love You more and more,
abide with me evermore
and be my true joy. Amen.
Holy Trinity, pray for us!
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