Life according to God’s Character
A Reflection for Trinity Sunday
Brent Smith, Director of Adult Faith Formation & Evangelization
As children we likely learned the importance of staying committed to a set of beliefs. My parents taught me a few non-negotiables: first, on Sundays worship the Lord by going to Mass; second, practice compassion and respect toward everyone; and third, live according to the belief that you benefit from the lived experiences of others. In keeping those principles dear to my heart, I have found lasting joy in life.
As mediator of covenant with God, Moses received an abundance of revelation. In the first reading for this Sunday, he is reminded of the divine nature, “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6). This description emphasizes principled characteristics of God, which inform God’s interactions with humanity. In our own lives, we should substitute the word “God” for our names. May we strive to embody those same characteristics.
Likely thanks to the passion of his religious teachers, combined with the life-altering encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, St. Paul wholeheartedly dedicated himself to the growth of the Church. In his second letter to the Christians in Corinth, he shared his vision for a fulfilling life. He called them to live by a spirit of joy, by regularly examining their lives, fostering courage among one another, and living in peaceful harmony. St. Paul concludes with a blessing, one that reveals essential truths of the divine nature. His inspired words remind us of the life-giving relationship of the most blessed Trinity, three persons in one God.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus shares the Heavenly Father’s love for humanity. May the response of our hearts be one of gratitude and joy, for “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16). While Jesus emphasizes condemnation as a response to disbelief (see verses 17-18), he does so to make clear the eternal consequences of refusing the sheer goodness of his life and therefore of his love. May we allow belief in the sacrificial gift of the beloved Son to affect every aspect of our lives, including the concern we have for others.