Papal Preacher on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity

Catholic Online ^ | 5/18/08 | Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

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Why do Christians believe in the Trinity? Is it not hard enough to believe that God exists without having to add the puzzle about God being “one and three?”

There are some today who would not be upset if we dropped the Trinity. For one thing, they would say, it would help dialogue with the Jews and Muslims, who profess faith in a God who is strictly one.

The answer is that Christians believe that God is triune because they believe that God is love! If God is love, then he must love someone. There is no such thing as love of nothing, a love that is not directed at anyone. So we ask: Who is it that God loves so that he is defined as love?

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The Christian belief in the Most Holy Trinity is the foundation of the Catholic Christian faith and provides the framework for understanding the entire meaning, mission and mystery of the Church and human existence.

[Tax-chick]

In every love there are always three realities or subjects: one who loves, one who is loved and the love that unites them. Where God is understood as absolute power, there is no need for there to be more than one person, for power can be exercised quite well by one person; but if God is understood as absolute love, then it cannot be this way.

Excellent observation from Father Cantalamessa. He's been one of my favorites for years.