God is Love

The news that gave me the greatest displeasure this week was about a Chinese vessel ramming a Philippine boat in the West Philippine Sea causing it to sink and putting the lives of the crew at risk. Moreover, this vessel simply left 22 Filipino fishermen at the mercy of the elements. It was a case of “hit and run” because the hapless fishermen had to swim for their lives. Fortunately, they were immediately rescued by a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the area. It was a great display of humanity. Indeed, no man is an island. For survival, we need to help one another.

The feast of the Holy Trinity reminds us that God is a family. His greatest attribute is love. It is love that binds each person together, in communion with each other. Every time I enter the massive church of Lourdes Shrine and look up, I am awed by the three intertwined circles above. They remind me of the Trinitarian communion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Rooted in a personal relationship of love, they exemplify the true meaning of unity in diversity. They embrace their uniqueness and their difference does not become a hindrance for their unity. Their unconditional love for each other overflow in the universe, in the world and in each living creature. 

The Holy Trinity, then, is our model of the family and our Christian community. As social beings, we are mutually interdependent. We will need each other, not only for survival but to be truly human. We can never live an isolated and self-sufficient life. In truth, it is only in caring and serving one another that we can mirror the communion of the living God. In this way we become God’s image in the world.

Prayer: Lord, make me your living image by practicing unconditional love and generous service. Amen.