The concept of Trinity has always been intriguing to intellectuals, philosophers and even every thinking ordinary man. St. Augustin’s efforts to understand and explain it might have satisfied the elite minds in the realm of thinking. But, isn’t it something still beyond the reach of ordinary man? Of course, the common man finds it quite wacky to spend time and energy for something abstract as he is absolutely comfortable with the thought and faith he was taught and given which is his unquestionable God and Bible. Still, if a common mind wakes up with a queer idea of knowing something about the divine mystery of Trinity, it would be improper to send the seeker empty handed.
Mystery of Trinity, in my humble understanding, can be explained in plain terms as the ‘sum total of life’. The first element of this unity, the Father, is the sheer fact of the ‘being’ of a being, the ‘to be’ fact. The preliminary and the essential requisite for any being to be reckoned is its very existence. Acquisition of existence is a fabulous blessing. This is what the ‘Father’ stands for. Existence is the true manifestation of the being of the ‘Father’ .
The first part of the Lod’s prayer points to this aspect. When we pray, “Our Father in heaven, holy be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as in heave”, we get an expanded meaning of the ‘being’ element. ‘Holy be your name’ is the ‘being’ factor of the holiness of the name, while ‘your kingdom come’ proclaims the well established ‘being’ of the kingdom of God in every sphere and earnestly entreating for the same to be there in the mind and domain of humans. ‘Your will be done on earth as in heaven’ reiterates the same ‘being element of the will of God everywhere.
The second constituent of the divine Trinity is the Son. The most vibrant, dynamic and vigorous realm of the existence of a being is manifested here. Isn’t it the assertion of existence? Surely. This expresses the practical reality of life. This is the world of untold activities, movements and hence chaos, put in for a solid foundation of the ‘being’ (existence) of a being to strive and thrive. No existence is understood, recognized or valued without asserting it with its ceaseless activities. This virility and enthusiasm, from birth till death, of an existence also signifies the creative side of holy Trinity.
As we progress in the Lord’s prayer, the pragmatic aspect of an existence (being) is duly hilighted when we recite, “Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. Inorder to get daily bread every existence has to labour. The result of hard labour enables one to gain bread. Bread doesn’t mean food alone, which we consume for our physical maintenance. It is much more than that. It is the intellectual bread or knowledge for successful accomplishment of one’s mission; it is the spiritual bread which enkindles an inner urge for seeking the kingdom of God, the will of God, guided by the sublime thought of ‘being away from the world though being in the world’ (John – 17: 11, 14-15).
This food encaptures the human soul and paves way for the divine work of the Holy Spirit; it is the moral bread for enriching one with values and norms and developing value system and principle to enable a being ethically fit to continue in the existence; it is the psychological bread for maintaining sound mind for an emotionally balanced and sensibly righteous existence. And in this pursuit there occur umpteen instances of unlawful actions or sins as every existence is highly vulnerable and prone to commit mistakes. The realization of this weakness of the being also takes place in this realm and the being becomes supplicant for pardon.
The third component of the sacred Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is the culminating force of this heavenly wonder. In the process of establishment and assertion of an existence erosion of expected norms and values is an inevitable occurrence. The immediate step is to rectify or adopt remedial measures. This exactly is the work of the Holy Spirit, i e, to strengthen (John-14: 15-25), purify, beautify, perpetuate and perfect every imperfection, impurity and infirmity. Every sane mind does this rectification in the due process. This is indispensable for a smooth ride into the ocean of celestial drink for blissful experience of divine ecstacy where the immortal soul of the mortal being enjoys its eternal pilgrimage.
By Kuriachen P.J.
Parackattu.
