May God grant you and I an amazing appreciation for this beautiful God, the beautiful mysteries of faith, and not be afraid to share it with others Fr. Anthony Le
Today, we celebrate the most holy trinity. The most profound and beautiful mysteries of our faith, and yet the most difficult to understand and fathom. That's the reason why throughout the history of the church, we come up with all sorts of theological treatises to explain this mystery, Also sacred symbols and images to explain to the faithful.
If you go to the mission high above the altar, you would see the representation of the holy trinity on the top. You would see an old man, holding what appears to be the earth and on the other his hands doing like this (showing a V shaped gesture). That's the father, the creator of heaven and earth, embarking his blessing on us, representing his creating force, his protecting and powerful presence without whom nothing exists. Then down below, you would see a symbol of a dove, a very prominent symbol of the Holy Spirit. A dove represents the gentleness of the Holy Spirit. But yet right here, you could also look behind the image of God, the father in the mission. The triangle represents the holy trinity, the father, and the son and Holy Spirit. Three divine persons, one God, equal in power, dignity, glory, and honor. They are distinct in regard to the roles they play, but they are mutually united. And then the Holy Spirit. We could also use other symbols like the fire, like water, or also a wild goose, unpredictable, untamed, raw, and wild. And then for our lord Jesus, you could look around and see the image of a fish. as it represents Jesus himself.
So my brothers and sisters, all of this theological explanations, theological treatises, and also sacred images and symbols, try to elucidate and explain away the beautiful mysteries about faith. Nonetheless, they won't do justice to the mystery, unless you and I experience the powerful working of God in our life. What does it mean to have a father? What does it mean to connect with the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to really worship our lord Jesus as our savior and redeemer? What does it mean personally to the church community and to us as an individual worshiper catholic? Let's take a look at that level so that we can appreciate the beauty and magnificent presence of the holy trinity in the church's life and also in our lives as well.
First and foremost, in order to understand this, we have to look through the life of our lord. Our lord Jesus mentioned the father multiple times. He often spoke to him in person, in prayer. our lord Jesus entered into a dialogue with heavenly father on a mountaintop, or in the garden of olives, or everywhere. Everything he does, he imitates the father. That tells us something about God the father. He is intimately connected with his people; he is intimately connected with his son. So God is a personal God. he's not someone out there distant and we are not able to connect. even in the old testament, the image of God is so intimately linked with his people as he protecting them, as he fighting on their behalf, as he feeding them in the desert, as he leading them out of the slavery into promised land. So God the father is very intimately linked to the life of our lord. We also listen to how our lord Jesus describes him using the image of a good father. a kind father when the prodigal son returned, instead of condemning, loving. Hugging. Kissing. and partying. even the heavenly father is so kind, so merciful, that we could come to him even we are making mistakes, even if we fail to live up to the expectation, even if we walk away from him, even if we wished ill him, even if we deny our son ship, our relationship with him. he still loves us, accepts us, and causes home. And that is the kind of heavenly father that our lord Jesus portrays. He's so real, and so intimate, and so connected, and so merciful.
Sometimes we don't have that kind of experience because perhaps our earthly 是father did not live up to the expectation. I have a friend who had a father who was very abusive and difficult. She gets upset every time we talk about God as the father and the loving God. She couldn't see beyond her experience with her earthly father that God could not be that good. If he was that good, then my father would not be that difficult and abusive. I did not have a good experience with my father and therefore didn't ask me to appreciate God the father and the merciful God. not to mention her family, her brothers turned away from the church. However, this incident changed her life. her younger brother who contracted aids and towards the end of his life. She asked many people to pray for him and one day she came into the hospital room, had a conversation with him, and he asked God to forgive him, and asked her to ask for a priest. He made his confession and died a peaceful death. At that moment of witnessing her brother return and seeing a priest ministering to her brother, her heart melted, she realized that the image of God is not the image of an earthly father that we have. Moreover, sometimes we're using our personal experience to project upon God the father. That is not true. We have to see God the Father through the eyes of our lord Jesus, only then can we appreciate his constant presence, his loving, care, and protection, divine providence that he has always been there for us.
How about the Holy Spirit? How could we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life and therefore we could really appreciate him as the third person of the holy trinity. But we could take a look at the life of the church. Today especially the mission that we're celebrating today's 225 year anniversary, how could it be when the padres came all the way from Spain, Mexico. Coming over here, knowing not the land, the language, the culture, yet proclaiming the gospel to all the people. They accepted the mission of our lord, entrusted them to go and proclaim the gospel to all nations, baptize them in the name of the father and of the son of the Holy Spirit. They believe in the promise of our lord. go and the Holy Spirit will come, and tell you everything. What helps you. Even put words in your mouth if you are persecuted. The spirit of God will tell you what I have told you, would help you to share the faith without fear. And that happened multiple times. Even the conflict with the native people, the clash of culture and language and religions, even with the secularization of the mission system, even this government has tried to eradicate the mission system out of the California map. It didn't happen. Even when the natural earthquake destroyed the original church in 1900. Did not stop us from worshiping. The spirit of God is strong and alive. and the same spirit that gathers you and I here today. Just like the Pentecost, all the people appreciate the different languages that they have and share. They understand the same faith, the same baptism, and the same God. you and i, we are here coming from different places. we're appreciating one God, one language of love, of faith, and hope. and that spirit is alive. and I believe it's a life for us as well.
Just recently, this morning, a man helping us with djing came to me and said “my father passed away. I felt so connected with this community, there's something urging me to come to you”. and we shared, and we prayed for his father who passed away a few years back at the age of 65. It’s an amazing movement of spirit bringing us together. So pay attention to his movement in our heart, in our church community. Pay attention to the wild goose, pay attention to the fire, pay attention to the strong wind that we have and share. This boat of the church has to be set sail, has to be on fire, and has to be moving forward, and ultimately, thanks to the father, thanks to the Holy Spirit, we could actually appreciate the work of our lord in our life.
Our lord Jesus, the one and the only savior that we could really entrust our life with completely. The same church of 2000 years ago, in the same Church of today, we have him as our head, we have him as our savior. My brothers and sister, we have him offer on the altar, we have him proclaim through the word of life, we have him pouring his life out for you and for me. We have him hearing confession, we have him baptized, we have him saying yes to a young man and woman, saying yes to each other before God, we have him as our lord and savior. Trust him, come to him, surrender ourselves to him, and allow him to make miracles out of us. Just like yours. those disciples twelve of them, one betray, one run away, and many others betray him, but yet they still make it possible for the word of God be heard everywhere as you and I. If we look up and see a heavenly father, if we think we are sinful, children of God come to him anyway. because we have a heavenly father who's merciful and kind. if we are stuck, if we don't have the courage, if we don't have the spirit, call upon the spirit of God deep down in our heart and soul. Because we have him, move forward. If we don't believe in anyone out there, believe in Christ, the one who died for you and for me. That is the holy trinity working in our life, in our church. So my brothers and sisters, let this day be a day we recommit ourselves to this amazing God, one God, three divine persons. One God who decided to make a drawing place deep within us, each one of us. This is an amazing mystery, and we have this. So may God grant you and I an amazing appreciation for this beautiful God, the beautiful mysteries of faith, and not be afraid to share it with others.
願天主賜予我們恩寵能夠欣賞偉大的天主，享受美麗的信德，並勇於與人分享。
今天，我們慶祝天主聖三節。三位一體是我們信仰中最深刻、最美麗、和最神聖的的奧秘。卻也是最難理解的。這就是為什麼在教會歷史中，有各種神學理論，符號，和圖像試圖來解釋祂。
讓我們看看Mission San Jose 教堂祭壇正上方，有一個三位一體的構圖。有一位長者，手裡拿著似乎是地球的東西，另一隻手顯示 出V 形的手勢。那是天父，天地的創造者，祂的祝福的手降臨在我們身上。代表著創造，保護和存在，沒有天父就一無所有。天父下面，有一隻鴿子，非常突出，祂象徵聖神。鴿子代表溫柔。在 Mission San Jose 教堂中的三角形代表三位一體，聖父，聖子和聖神。天主這三個神聖的位格，有同樣的權力、尊嚴、和榮耀。扮演不同的角色，但是一體的。還有其他的符號來代表聖神，如火、水，或者野鵝。表現了聖神的不可測、未馴服、原始和狂野。至於主耶穌，環顧四周，你可以看到一條魚的形象。魚代表耶穌。
兄弟姐妹們，所有的解釋、論文，圖像，和符號，都試圖闡明這個信仰的奧秘。儘管如此，除非我們在生活中體驗到天主的奧秘，我們永遠不會了解祂。父親是意味著什麼？與聖神相通是什麼意思？敬拜主耶穌為我們的救主和救贖者又是什麼意思？這些對一個在天主教會內的教友又意味著什麼？讓我們從個人的層次來欣賞和感激聖三的美麗宏偉對教會和各人生活的影響。
要了解這一點，我們必需仔細觀察主耶穌的生平。主耶穌多次提到天父。他經常親自與天父交談，祈禱。主耶穌在山上、橄欖園，或其他的地方與天父對話。他所做的一切，都在模仿天父。這告訴我們天父與祂的子民有著密切的聯繫；與祂的兒子有著密切的關係ㄧ樣。所以天父是一位與祂子民有密切關係的神。不是一位高高在上，無法接觸的神。即使在舊約中，天主也與祂的子民息息相關。祂保護他們，為他們而戰，在沙漠中餵養他們，帶領他們走出奴役，進入應許之地。天父與主耶穌的生命密密相連，主耶穌也用一個好父親的形象來描述天父。浪子歸來時的慈父，不責怪，充滿慈愛，擁抱，親吻，和宴會。天父是如此的仁慈，即使我們犯了錯，辜負了祂的期望，遠離祂，甚至否認與祂的關係，祂仍然愛我們，接納我們，歡迎我們回家。這就是主耶穌所描述的天父，如此真實，親密，如此仁慈的與我們相聯。
有時我們生命中沒有慈父的經驗，因為我們在世的父辜負了我們的期望。我有一個朋友，她的父親很難相處又虐待她。每次我們談到天主是慈愛的父時，她都會心煩意亂。因為她與地上父親的經歷，她無法體驗到天父的好。如果祂那麼好，那麼我父親就不會如此。我與父親的經歷非常的失敗，所以不要再要求我感謝天父。至於她的家人，兄弟們都遠離了教堂。然而，發生了一件事，徹底的改變了她的生活。她的兄弟感染了愛滋病，走近了生命的盡頭。她請了很多人為他祈禱，有一天她走進病房，與他交談，他請求天主原諒他，並要求她請一位神父來。他坦白認罪，安詳地死去。目睹兄弟的歸來，看到神父服侍兄弟的那一刻，她的心融化了，意識到天主並不相似她塵世的父親。有時我們會用個人經驗來投射到天父上，那是不正確的。我們必需以主耶穌的眼光來看天父，來體會天父的陪伴。祂的慈愛、關懷和保護，時時在我們身邊。
聖神呢？我們如何能在生活中經歷聖神的同在，來欣賞這三位一體的第三位。讓我們看看教會的經歷。今天我們慶祝 Mission San Jose 教堂225週年傳教使命的開創，傳教士們從西班牙，墨西哥遠道而來。沒有地緣，不懂語言和文化，卻向所遇到的人傳福音。傳道士接受了主的派遣，去向萬國宣揚福音，奉聖父聖子的名給他們施洗。他們相信主的應許：“去吧，聖神會告訴你，在一切事物上幫助你。如果你受到迫害，祂會把作證的話放在你的口裡，幫助你無畏地分享信仰“。與原住民的衝突，文化語言和宗教的衝突，甚至在宣教制度的世俗化，或政府試圖將宣教制度從加州的歷史刪除時，都沒有被壓制成功。即使在 1900 年地震摧毀了原來的教堂，也沒有停止我們持續的敬拜上主。聖神剛強而活潑，今天將你我們聚集在這裡，就像五旬節時一樣，所有的人都可以分享不同的語言，接受同樣的信仰、同樣的洗禮，和同一位天主。你和我來自不同的地方，相信同樣的天主，說同一種愛的語言，有同樣的信仰和希望。聖神是活的，祂是我們的生命之神。
今天早上，一個幫堂區工作的人來找我說：“我父親去世了。我覺得我與這個社區有親密的關係，有一些東西敦促我來找你”。於是我們一起分享，為他的父親祈禱。他的父親幾年前去世，享年65歲。這是一個令人驚異的聖神互動，使我們走到了一起。因此，請注意聖神在我們心中，在我們的教會。 要關注那隻野鵝，關注那熱火，關注我們擁有和分享的聖神強風。 教會的這艘船，要揚帆帶著熱火前行。感謝天父，感謝聖神，讓我們體會到主在我們生命中工作。
我們的主耶穌，是唯一可以完全託付我們生命的救主。 2000年前的教會就是今天的天主教會。主耶穌是我們的頭，是我們的救主。兄弟姐妹們，我們將主耶穌獻祭在祭壇上，主耶穌在聖道中宣講聖言，祂為你我奉獻了生命。祂聆聽我們的懺悔，我們接受祂的聖洗，祂祝聖年輕男女的婚姻，在天主面前彼此說“是”。祂是我們的主和救世主，相信祂，接近祂，將自己交付給祂，讓祂從我們身上創造奇蹟。就像當初在你身上顯的奇蹟一樣。那十二個門徒，一個背叛，一個逃跑，還有許多離開祂。但他們仍然傳播神的話語到世界各地，就像我們一樣。讓我們抬頭看到天父，如果我們犯罪，天主的兒女們還是要來到祂身邊。因為我們有一位慈悲良善的天父。如果我們被困難鎖住，沒有勇氣，失去了聖神，那麼請在靈魂的深處呼求天主聖神。因為我們有了聖神就可以向前邁進。如果你不敢相信任何人，請相信基督，那為你我而死的耶穌。祂也正是那位在我們生活中和教會中工作的三位一體的天主。兄弟姐妹們，今天讓我們重新追隨這位偉大的天主。一位天主，三個神聖的位格。一位在我們每人內心深處創作的主。這是個驚人的奧密，願天主賜予我們恩寵能夠欣賞偉大的天主，享受美麗的信德，並勇於與人分享。