CELEBRATE-IMITATE OUR 3-IN-1 GOD
Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40; Romans 8:14-17; Matthew 28:16-20

Multi-tasking is a way of life today… with many multi-function devices to help us! Think about the 3-in-1 stylus-laser pointer-pen. AIO printers print-copy-scan-fax. Today’s smartphones do virtually everything! With all these multi-functioning devices, it shouldn’t be difficult to accept the notion that one God can exist as three persons!

Our God is “multi-function” (though we ought not to reduce God to function)! It is proper to attribute the work of creation to the Father; the work of healing and redemption to the Son; and the work of guidance to the Spirit. Three unique persons with three distinct functions!

These unique persons live in community. God is a family!

John’s Gospel highlights the fundamentally social/communitarian nature of God. John 1:18 speaks of the “Son who is close to the Father’s heart.” John 10:30 reads: “My Father and I are one.” In John 6:20, Jesus tells his disciples: “It is I (in Greek I am), do not be afraid.” In five other places, Jesus uses the absolute “I am”, which recalls Exodus 3:14, where Yahweh revealed his name to Moses: “I am who am.”

The Greek Fathers use the word perichoresis (“dancing together”) to describe this loving communion of the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Spirit live in perfect communion, which is essentially a “being there” for one another.

What are the implications of the doctrine of the Trinity for us?

Created in the image and likeness of a trinitarian God, we have similar attributes!

First, we are unique; we want to be recognized and accepted as individuals. We don’t want to be clones.

Second, we desire to be in community/communion. This is achieved not by negating/denying differences, but by respecting and nurturing our diversity, and blending our differences.

Third, like the Father, we are called to be creative and to contribute to building up. Like the Son, we are called to reconcile and to mend broken relationships. Like the Spirit, it is our task to teach and to dispel ignorance.

More important than understanding the doctrine of the Trinity is to experience and imitate our Trinitarian God.

How will I live out the doctrine of the Trinity in my life: will I respect myself and others as unique persons, and form communion and community by blending differences? Will I become a creative contributor, healer, and guide?

May we celebrate and imitate our 3-in-1 God!

(By Fr Vinod, Rector and Secretary of INB Province)

THE ASCENSION
PASSING THE BATON
Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23 or 4:1-13; Mark 16:15-20

The 4×100 relay is thrilling. The most exciting/important time is the baton exchange; many a race has been lost because of poor baton exchange. Since 1988, US quartets have been disqualified or haven’t finished the event nine times at the World Championships and the Olympics – even though they had the fastest runners – because of foul ups at baton exchanges.

The Ascension is Jesus passing the baton to his disciples in the great human and Christian race. He has prepared them over three years and especially over the 40 days after the resurrection. It is time for them to take over.

The ascension completes Jesus’ leg of the relay and his mission on earth to bring the good news to the afflicted, liberty to captives, sight to the blind – in short, to bring wholeness to people.

The ascension begins the disciples’ part of the relay: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” Mark establishes an immediate connection between Jesus’ ascension and the disciples’ mission: “So the Lord Jesus… was taken up into heaven… But they went forth and preached everywhere.”

This continuation of the mission is a massive challenge. But the Lord assures us that he is with us through his Spirit.

The scene from the Acts, in today’s first reading, is modelled on the experience of Joshua and Elisha. Joshua received a share of Moses’ spirit and Elisha received a double share of Elijah’s. Jesus assures his disciples that they will receive the power to continue his work: the Holy Spirit.

Despite this promise, they remained there “gazing into heaven.” They have not understood that they must look towards the earth – the locus of their mission.

The baton has been passed to us. The mission is ours; the Spirit and power of the Lord are ours. Am I willing to carry the baton and run my leg of the race? How will I continue Christ’s mission in the area in which I live and work?

PS: It takes time and practice for relay teams to run well. US national teams have little of that; the relay is an all-star team that rarely runs together. I need time with the Lord to receive the baton; I need to be in the correct “exchange-zone”; I need to run with the team… always!

(Fr Vinod SDB, Rector and Secretary, Don Bosco Provincial House, Mumbai)