Round and round

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061525.cfm

Over the course of the last few weeks, our readings have continually drawn us into the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We have examined the Father and the Son who have had glory in one another since the beginning. We have heard Jesus speak of the Spirit as the promise of the Father and certainly worth waiting for. Last week we saw the Holy Spirit take center stage and begin leading the Church in a powerful way.

Today we celebrate not the individual persons of the trinity, but their three-in-oneness. This is the 'image and likeness' of God that we were made in. We are meant to share a love that is full, faithful, fruitful and forever. In theory, this kind of love is fruitful in the production of offspring, which deepens the bond and takes the love to a new level. I threw the phrase 'in theory' in there because this world, which is not what we were intended for, interferes with the perfection of this image. At times, relationships are poorly formed, poorly executed, impacted by a sinful world, etc. which can make us doubt if this type of relationship is for us.

Then there are those relationships that draw us and tell our hearts that not only is this possible, it is what we were made for. In the Trinity, from the very beginning, the Father sets the tone. When we look at where the world has corrupted the goodness given to us, fathers have set the tone. Pursuit of power, dominance, wealth and sexual pleasure is unfortunately what men have continued to introduce and perpetuate in our world. Now women are not totally off the hook, but when it comes to war, violence, greed and sexual conquest - it is clear that men have led the charge.

We can lead it the other way. The Trinity is the key. When the fathers love in a way that fully devotes themselves to the other - fully, faithfully, fruitfully and forever - it honors and elevates the woman, the mother in the way intended. Her return of this love emboldens and empowers the father in his sacrificially loving role - and a child can be born in a place where they know from birth what the love of God might be like, because it is surrounding them. Even in the imperfect way in which we live it, a love that pursues this is clearly evident to those around us. It is not possible without the Trinity as example and substance of the love.

On Father's Day - recognize and applaud every way in which the fathers in your life are striving to live this example. Call it out clearly and specifically so that they might be empowered and emboldened in it. When we do this, we encourage the flow of love from one to another and back again, the circumincession, the perichoresis, the full, faithful, fruitful, forever love that we were made for.