From the Friars: The Trinitarian Revolution
There is a large maple tree in the backyard of our friary with an impressive canopy. But looking closer it becomes clear that it is actually three trees standing close together. And so it is nicknamed the trini-tree. Today we celebrate that great mystery of the life of God in Himself, the Most Holy Trinity. One could spend a life-time of meditation and study trying to understand better this source of all reality. But since God is Love we can say for certain that Divine Love is trinitarian.
Perfect love is between three and not just two persons because the highest charity can never close in on itself, it must always be open to sharing with another. This Thursday we also celebrate the fairly new Federal Holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day. This commemorates the end of legal slavery in our country. The American Revolution’s Declaration of Independence declared that all are created equal. The Civil War brought at least a legal end to the contradiction of 1776. The exclusion of black slaves from the human family was finally officially recognized as wrong. Their dehumanization for economic gain violates justice and trinitarian charity.
The sexual revolution of the 1960’s was promoted by many as liberating women from various forms of bondage. The birth-control pill was especially seen as a means to freedom from unwanted pregnancies. Yet this quickly led to the legalization of abortion because failed contraception needs a back-up. Again, a whole class of people were dehumanized for the perceived benefit of others. Legal abortion excludes consideration of the dignity and rights of the child in the womb. The mother chooses in contradiction to her trinitarian nature and suffers because of it.
Pope Leo has focused on the present dangers of the high-tech revolution of AI, especially the threat of the loss of many jobs. Will the economic gain of some once again be at the cost of excluding others? May attempted solutions to these challenges put the dignity of persons created in the image and likeness of the Holy Trinity as first priority. May there be a trinitarian revolution of heart that seeks to share generously the countless gifts that our Heavenly Father has given to us all.
Amen.
Fr. Peter