The Development of the Doctrine of The Trinity in Tradition

A quick look at Biblical theology gives us a very scant picture of the doctrine that is central to Christianity: The Trinity. In the Old Testament we can hardly find any mention to the Trinity. The Trinity is mentioned in Christ's farewell address to his disciples (See Matthew 28: 19). However, Christ did not speak of the Trinity in a very explicit mode. In the Gospel according to John there are many references for the relationship between Christ and the Father. If we follow the timing of writing the New Testament books according to contemporary Biblical scholarship, we note that the divinity of Christ was perceived by the Apostles after his Resurrection - notably in the words of Thomas to the risen Christ "My Lord and My God" (John 20: 28). In the early Christian Church the Apostles continued to preach about Christ in the Temple. However, their understanding of the Divinity of Christ was clear from the confession of Peter that Jesus is the Messiah in Mark to the vision of Stephen about Christ sitting at the right hand of God (See Acts) to the confession of Paul to the Philippians that "Though [Christ] was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped" (Ph 2: 6-7). This is an early Christological hymn that Christians sang to Christ since Apostolic times according to modern scholarship. In the Letter to the Colossians, Paul again refers to Christ being "the image of the invisible God" (Col. 1: 15-20). There is no way to deny that Christ was worshipped as God since the Apostolic times. By the end of the first century documents by Christian authors attest to the divinity of Christ (Cf. St. Ignatius of Antioch). This continues in the second century with philosophical debates with non-Christians (Cf. Justin Martyr, Origen, St. Ireneaus). It is important to know that the fathers did not write for the sake of writing, but to correct errors of early Christians and non-Christians. Against the Arians in the early 4th century Athanasius championed the philosophical expression "Homoosious" in the First Council of Nicea (325 AD), an expression not used in the New Testament, to emphasize the faith that Christ is consubstantial with the Father and so he is equal to the Father in his divinity. Augustine further explained the Trinity from the New Testament "God is Love." If God is love, who or what does he love? If he is unlimited he could not love the world from eternity because that would make him dependent on creation which, the Bible says, was created by God! If God loved himself from eternity then he would be in love with the self i.e. narcissism. This is the opposite of love! The only logical solution is if he loved another person yet that person is his image (proceeds from him.) But how about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, Augustine reasoned, is the binding love between the Father and the Son (Christ). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Love is the only thing that matters. God is that open fount of love in dynamic inner relationship that Ratzinger dares to call the Trinity a Relatedness of Father, Son and Holy Spirit! How did Ratzinger arrive at this new expression today? By following the Fathers and Doctors of the Church. This is also the thought of the Jesuit Karl Rahner. They take the thread of Tradition, reflect on it and develop it in the Church. More to come!

Sisyphus!

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus challenged the gods and was able to chain "the god of death" for he loved life and thought he was more clever than the gods. Of course, his challenge did not go well and soon the gods agreed to punish him. In the underworld, his punishment consisted of perpetually rolling a great stone from the base of a steep hill to its top then before he arrives, the stone would roll down and he was to go pick it up and again roll it to the top. Sisyphus had to comply. But how did he feel about this task? Everytime Sisyphus rolled the stone, he felt the pointless hard work on ascending to the hill's top, but on descending Sisyphus felt for a moment that he was free and indeed was happy to see the stone rolling down. If we apply this to our own situation, we will see sisyphus everytime we despair but also everytime we have hope that we will overcome our suffering. However, there is more to this story than Sisyphus alone, for he alone is still a miserable man! The Greeks imagined many gods, each with a particular power. The gods served themselves and could not care much about those suffering Greek slaves. Our God is the God of love who created all humans out of love. We learn from Christ that his love for each one was infinitely higher than any other love. He loved his enemies who crucified him and still forgave them till the last breath! Which god is then truer? If you think it is the Greek god(s) you are free, but if you think it is Christ then your freedom requires you to do what he did or else he is not really your God. When a Jewish lawyer asked Christ "Who is my neighbour?" Christ answered him with a story of a good Samaritan who took care of his wounded Jewish enemy. At the end, Christ referring to the Samaritan said to the lawyer "Go and do likewise" (Luke 10)!

Happiness

Happiness is what we all (everyone) seek, whether Christians or non-Christians. Atheists as much as religious people also seek happiness. The old civilizations as much as the modern ones were preoccupied with that same goal: happiness. Happiness is found in nature. Climb a mountain and sit on top of it - Once you look at the stars shining in the night, you will feel happiness, a humbling feeling that there are things which we cannot reach, yet they are beautiful, awesome and rewarding. Or go by the sea, and spend some time at the shore - You will discover a great mystery when you notice that the horizon seems unending...Look further into the life on Earth. There are so many living organisms everywhere that feed and grow on others. Life cannot stop because of you or me, for the Creator wills life and happiness to every being. The highest level of happiness on Earth is achieved in the human person. There, the hormones in the brain work out to induce love toward others. It is part of God's mystery that you and I can think - the creation and development of life is nothing less than a miracle. The question is: What is the good way of enjoying happiness and living a joyful life? That is a question that we shall attempt to answer, because not every kind of pleasure leads to happiness. The Master said "What benefits man if he gains the entire world but loses himself". Although every natural desire in my heart is implanted by God, and so must be good, the excessive use of it would lead me to slavery. When I am too attached to money, greed will be my master; when I am too attached to sexual desires, I will become a slave of the flesh; and when I am too attached to myself, I will lose myself into the abyss of pride! I like St. Augustine's words "Be moderate in everything except in love." Happiness in its fullness is more than natural things and deeper than desires. It comes from God who wills us to be happy eternally. In his grace, we are transformed to love everyone including our enemies. The mystery of the incarnation of God points us to contemplate his love for us regardless of our own merits. It is because he loved us that he died the worst death as a real man. Christ only loves and his love brings us eternal happiness!

May 13 - Mary's Intercession in Fatima

May 13, 1917 is the day that the Catholic Church celebrates for the apparition of the Virgin Mary to 3 children in Fatima, Portugal. In her apparition, Mary warned that the then current world war (World War I) would finish but another greater world war would emerge in the pontificate of the pope who follows the next unless people repent. She also said that Russia will succumb to the evil forces of atheist Communism that will attempt to submit many nations to Communism but that with dedication of Russia to her heart by the Roman Pontiff, Russia will eventually come back to her heart. The two prophecies or "secrets" took place as predicted and many people perished in World War II. Mary also foresaw a great tribulation in the Catholic Church in her "Third Secret" that the pope will be assassinated and many Christians will be martyred when Rome itself will be desolate. The Third Secret, feared by many Catholics, has been interpreted in the assassination attempt against the life of now Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1981. Penance has been the call of the Virgin Mary since she appeared, but how many of us truly responded to her call! As bishop Fulton Sheen indicated in his book "The First World Love", published in 1952 by McGraw-Hill Book Company, the fact that Mary was sent to Portugal is relevant. Fatima is the name of a Muslim woman venerated in Islam as the daughter of their Prophet Mohammed. In the Qura'n, Mary is considered the most pure creature of humans and next to her is Fatima according to a variant of Hadith. Muslims occupied Portugal for centuries before they were driven out by Catholics. A story about Fatima appears in Fulton Sheen's book: While Muslims were driven out from Portugal, a Catholic young man had fallen in love with a Muslim called Fatima in a little town. She became Catholic to get married to him and out of appreciation, the name of the town was changed to Fatima. While Muslims consider Christians to be infidel, Mary is the one common person who is exalted by Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Muslims as the most pure woman. Bishop Sheen believed she will play a significant role in the dialogue of Christians and Muslims and in the end Muslims will come to worship her Son Jesus. On a personal note, I believe that my heart attack on May 12 1986 was treated and my heart survived until now through the intercession and prayer of this lady that the Church venerates for her tender love. She is a mother of all people. Many Christians and Muslims venerate her. She prays for all...

Human Dignity of the Unborn

When I was at Philips some 25 years ago, I had a discussion with a colleague on the right of birth. I remembered it when I lectured yesterday on pro-life. He asked: Woman has a right to abort her fetus - How can you infringe on her right? I answered: Sure but if you consider yourself in the womb of your mother would not you have the right to exist? And suppose you did not exist, at least the court should give you the benefit of doubt. The dilemma is whether you are a human at conception before you are born. But here I have evidence that you are a human with a brain being developed and little heart pounding from the beginning (See http://www.youtube.com/Watch?v=O211-kvKomg ). Even if you are not a human person yet in the womb, you still earn the benefit of doubt that we grant under law to criminals. The bondage comes from humans, not nature! If you are atheist you would agree with me as far as your freedom goes. And this is a matter of freedom of life! My colleague came back and acknowledged that my point makes sense. And you too have the opportunity to acknowledge it and furthermore to join Pro-life movement or at least support Pro-life in every way you can. It is an irony that the countries that call themselves "Developed" are the ones that legalized the destruction (or abortion) of their own children in the womb while those "Under-developed" are the ones that preserve their children for life! As a Christian, I too cannot approve of destroying my children before they are born. Support pro-life. Call BirthRight or other Pro-life agencies and do what you can. Human dignity cannot be denied to the unborn children. They are our future!