Trinitarian man and woman

Fr. Leo C. Pabayo SJ

THE Bible teaches that we are made in the image and likeness of God. By virtue of this, we can have some understanding of the Holy Trinity by having some understanding of ourselves. Vice versa, we have some understanding of ourselves by having an understanding of the Holy Trinity.

This has practical implications on our lives more than we can imagine, particularly in our relationship with one another because by virtue of the three persons of the Holy Trinity, we are related with one another in one way or another.

The doctrine on the Holy Trinity teaches that there are three persons in One God, namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father is the Creator or source of everything in creation. The Son is the Word spoken by that father and thus through Him, the world has been created. The Word that the Father speaks is spoken by the Father out of His Holy Spirit of Love for the Son.

Like God the Father and Creator, every person in the world is the source or the creator of what he or she says or does. When God said, “let there be”, the world was created. This has implications in every person’s relationship with others because the product of his words or work affects others. Also, as a creator, he /she gives meaning or spiritual significance to what he/she says or does. Consequently, he/she is the authority on the meaning and purpose of what he/she says or does. Thus, for example, the author of a book or an or invention is the authority on interpreting the meaning or spiritual significance of his/her work.

Thus, we can speak of a person as the father or creator or author of the work that he/she does.

The words that a man or woman speaks and the product of his/her work take on a life of their own to some extent. The words of a woman or man can have some influence on other people. So does the work that he/she does.

The architect of a building may long be gone but those who see the many admirable features of his building touch them. The same can be said of a painting or a work of literature. The great writings that we study in school whose authors have long been gone can change our life. These works put us in touch with them to some extent. Looking at their works now, faithfully convey the kind of persons the authors. Thus, we sometimes say of the writing of a novel, “That is vintage so and so.”

Another example that illustrates what I am saying here is when a person expresses or communicates himself in words, say, through a phone. By doing so he makes him/herself present to where the receiver of the communication is. Words spoken through a phone from our home to a friend or relative at the other side of the globe make us present to them in the spirit. The same can be said to a certain extent of a communication by letter. In this way the writer of the letter is the source or creator of that letter. The one who receives the letter is like a son or daughter of the writer if there is a spiritual bond or relationship of love between them.

In a phone conversation, the words spoken along with a voice that cares for the other has some influence on the hearer or the person at the other side of the globe as if the speaker were present there. In a sense he or she is present there because the words and the voice by which the words are spoken are an extension of him/her. The words are recognizable by the hearer as coming from his or her friend or relative here because of the kind of words used and the spirit which they are spoken. The spirit of love that is familiar to the one listening convinces him or her that the words spoken are truly from his or her friend or relative because they evoke the feelings of love that he or she has known from this friend or relative at the other end of the phone. The one speaking or the source of the words spoken, the words and the good spirit or the spirit of love in which these are spoken are one.

The communication of God with man is like this as clearly shown us in the Bible. In a parable of Jesus in the Gospel where he hints at himself as the shepherd leading his sheep or his followers, Jesus says, “He goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:5-7).

If we are a true follower of Christ, we will know what is true from what is false, what is good from what is bad, what is beautiful from what is ugly and respond accordingly.

In our life we ought always to try to make what we say and do, to be one with who we really are as shown in the truth of what we say or do and the spirit of love with which we say and do them. In this way we move toward wholeness and integrity. In this way we become more of the image and likeness of God the Holy Trinity.

This is true in all aspects of human life, whether it is as large and complicated as a political system, an economic theory, a nation, a religious congregation or church community, etc…if these are good like God, the signs of the Holy Trinity, namely, Father Son and Holy Spirit, will be in these. Thus, we can speak of the father of a nation, the brainchild of a founder of a corporation, even the spiritual inspiration of a basketball team. The nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is in everything in this world.