Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
May 31, 2015 – Year B
Readings: Dt 4:32-34, 39-40 / Psalm 33 / Rom 8:14-17 / Mt 28:16-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

In the past few years, the news in the papers, television, radio and all media outlets has almost always included something about war or other forms of armed conflict. However, there is a war that each and every one of us is fighting every single day. This is our spiritual battle, the war against the forces of evil, the conflict within us to say ‘yes’ to God and ‘no’ to sin. In the prayer asking for St. Michael’s intercession, which we pray at the end of our weekday Mass on Mondays and Fridays, we begin with “St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle.”

In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul reminded the early Christians to put on the armor of God. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, the archdiocese of New York and many other Churches around the world, wrote a prayer that can help us in our day-to-day spiritual warfare. It is called the Breastplate of St. Patrick, and we all know that a breastplate is a piece of armor worn in battle. This prayer begins with the invocation of the Holy Trinity.

Today as we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, our Holy Mother Church reminds us of the importance of this basic doctrine in our Catholic faith. For our whole Christian life revolves around our God in three divine persons. We always begin and end the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by praying, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. We are baptized, confirmed, anointed, and have our sins forgiven in the Sacrament of Confession all in the name of the Holy Trinity. Every time we pray as Christian Catholics we begin, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit”.

Scripture tells us that at one point Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus probably responded with sadness, “I have been with you, Phillip, all these years and still you do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father, for I and the Father are one.” In today’s Gospel, after our Lord said to the disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” He also told them – and in fact promises us the same thing today – that He would be with us always until the end of time.

Now if Jesus is with us, it goes without saying that the Father and the Holy Spirit are also dwelling in our souls. Most of all, as St. Patrick explains, the Holy Trinity is our armor, our breastplate, so that we will be able to win the battle against evil. Because Satan, true to his nature, has and will always try to convince God’s children that sin will make them happy. This may happen for a few minutes, hours, months or even years, but ultimately, sin will always make a person miserable, because that is the real nature of Satan. With the Most Holy Trinity dwelling in us, we believe that we will win this battle.

So the next time we feel that our faith is being shaken, or we are being tempted to sin, or we are just getting impatient with the people and the world around us, let’s imitate the practice of St. Patrick, of how he strengthened himself so he could win all the spiritual battles that came his way. Let us put on our breastplate in the form of making the sign of the cross while saying “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.