I finally watched the movie “The Shack†last night, which I thought was good timing since it deals with the Holy Trinity, or God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit – and yesterday was the celebration of “Holy Trinity Sunday†in the Church. I’ve always had a difficult time comprehending the concept of a Triune God, even though that’s the God I was taught to worship growing up and the God of my understanding today. The movie (and the book it’s based on) really do help make it all a bit more understandable.
But as I reflected on yesterday’s Mass readings and the movie, I had an epiphany as to why God is not a solo being but a God in three persons…I believe that He/She/They want us human beings to know we are never alone and that love can only be expressed through relationship with others. Think about it…you can feel peace, joy and comfort (as well as anger, sadness, discomfort) on your own, but you really can’t feel love (or hate) unless it’s toward someone. And while you can feel love or hate for yourself, you can’t actually experience love except with someone else (through kindness, generosity, charity, comfort, forgiveness,  intimacy and so much more). So it only makes sense that God is a “we” God…because God is love and wants to show us how to love each other. The Bible tells us God is a “we” God: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’.” (Gen. 1:26)
Although I am grateful I have relationships with so many loving people in my life…my husband, children, step-children, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, parents, sister, mother and sisters-in-law and their families, and all of my friends…sometimes I can still isolate, wanting to be left alone. This is never a good place for me to be for too long though, especially when I am dwelling on my problems and how to fix them or fears and how to be rid of them. It never fails that when I talk about my problems or fears with someone else, they lose their power and I tend (with their gentle guidance or even just listening) to come up with solutions so much easier and faster than I do on my own. Sometimes when I talk or pray to God I talk to the Father, sometimes to Jesus, and sometimes to the Holy Spirit…Whomever comes to mind. And I’m pretty sure He/She/They usually answer me through other people.
Thank You God, for showing us how to love through relationship and for letting us know we are never alone – we have All of You!
