Jesus commissions his disciples

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity because the Trinitarian formula is found at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. From the beginning of Christianity, early Christians who called themselves Catholics already adored the Trinitarian Doctrine of the Catholic Church. In today’s second reading, it gives us an idea of what the Holy Spirit teaches us about God. Allow me to reprint the Second Reading in Rom. 8:14-17 of today’s gospel reading.

“Brothers and Sisters. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a Spirit of Slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through which we cry “Abba Father!”16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if we children then, heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we only suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”

There is no doubt that the Holy Trinity existed a long time ago and as the Second Reading reveals, the Holy Spirit teaches us to call God “Abba Father.” If I recall, this is what St. Josemaria Escriva also called God “Abba Father” during his formative years.

In Genesis 11:1-11, God gave us an idea of having a Trinity when he said, “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

“5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

“7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the building unfinished. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.”

This story of the Tower of Babel was early in Genesis, but God clearly said, “7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” God did not say he shall, but rather he clearly stated, “Come, let us go down there and confuse their language.” This is one sign that the Holy Trinity already existed so early in the Bible verses.

Today’s gospel reading is called the Great Commission of the Disciples of Jesus, which you can read in your Bible on Matt.28: 16-29.

“16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

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One thing I can say about the Holy Spirit is that he really and truly exists! I got this when I took a Life of the Spirit Seminar 20 years ago and I dare say that it was no coincidence that the Holy Spirit touched my heart and changed me internally! I dare you to take your LSS and get yourselves changed totally!

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