On Pentecost and Trinity Sunday
Beloved in Christ,
The transition from Eastertide to Pentecost (and the Season After Pentecost) is an exciting one. We begin, of course, with the Feast of Pentecost, which was this past Sunday.
On this day, we recognize the joyous occasion by which the third Person of the most Holy and Blessed Trinity came and dwelt amongst the Disciples - and in so doing empowered the Church to do the work it is tasked to do in the world. The work of Jesus Christ: Baptizing, evangelizing, supporting those in need, and more.
The coming of the Holy Spirit transitions the disciples to become the Church, which is the Body of Christ.
Then, on the First Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Pope John XXII instituted this festal observance in the 1300s, following the final self-revelation of God in the Holy Spirit. As I was researching a bit of the history of this feast, I learned that this is the only feast that we have which observes a doctrine of the Church - rather than an event.
This doctrine is, of course, the doctrine of the Trinity - which is the revelation of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a challenging doctrine, to be sure, but it is critical to the Christian faith that we believe in a God who is One-in-Three and Three-in-One.
To avoid any heresy, I commend to you the marvelous Athanasian creed, it can be found in the Book of Common Prayer on page 864. It is never a bad thing to re-read this central and important creed, and reads as follows:
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.
Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish
everlastingly.
And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,
neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory
equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost
incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and
one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord.
And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by
himself to be both God and Lord,
So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten,
but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three
Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another;
But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be
worshipped.
He therefore that will be saved must think thus of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the
Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, is God and Man;
God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance
of his Mother, born in the world;
Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his
manhood;
Who, although he be God and Man, yet he is not two, but one Christ;
One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God;
One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;
Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from
whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their
own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil into
everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.
Yours in Christ,
Alex+