Chapter Three - The Trinity

Feast of the Baptism of Christ

 Opening Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and

enkindle in them the fire of Your love.
V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, You

have taught the hearts of Your faithful. In the same Spirit
help us to know what is truly right and always to rejoice in
Your consolation. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
 First Joyful Mystery The Annunciation

The First Luminous Mystery—The Baptism of the Lord

And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming

down, as a dove from heaven, and He remained upon
Him. And I knew Him not; but He who sent me to
baptize with water, said to me: He upon whom thou shalt
see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon Him, He it
is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. John 1:32-33
“The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central
mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of
God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other
mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the
most fundamental and essential teaching in the ‘hierarchy
of the truths of faith.’ The whole history of salvation is
identical with the history of the way and the means by
which the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
reveals himself to men ‘and reconciles and unites with
himself those who turn away from sin.’”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #234

 The Trinity is Scriptural
Deut. 6:4 – “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord, and
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your might.”
 The Trinity is Scriptural
Matt. 3:16 – “And when Jesus was baptized, he went up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were
opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
alighting on him; and behold a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This
is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”

Luke 10:21-22 – “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit
and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you
have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and
revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious
will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no
one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is
except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal
him.’”
 The Trinity is Scriptural
John 8:58 – “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I am.’”

John 14:26 – “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Matt 28:18-19 – “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All

authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’”
 God’s Revelation to Man
God made a progressive revelation of himself to man:

• First, he made himself known as the transcendent Creator who

acted “outside” of us.

• Then, he revealed himself as the incarnate Savior who acted

“beside” us.

• Finally, God revealed himself as an indwelling Spirit who acts

“inside” of us.
 Dogma of the Holy Trinity
The Trinity is One.

The divine persons are really distinct from one another.

The divine persons are relative to one another.

The Trinity by St. Gregory of Nazianzus
“Above all guard for me this great deposit of faith for which I live and
fight, which I want to take with me as a companion, and which makes
me bear all evils and despise all pleasures: I mean the profession of
faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I entrust it to you
today. By it, I am soon going to plunge you into water and raise you up
from it. I give it to you as the companion and patron of your whole life.
I give you but one divinity and power, existing one in three, and
containing the three in a distinct way. Divinity without disparity of
substance or nature, without superior degree that raises up or inferior
degree that casts down… the infinite co-naturality of three infinites.
Each person considered in himself is entirely God… the three
considered together… I have not even begun to think of unity when the
Trinity bathes me in its splendor. I have not even begun to think of the
Trinity when unity grasps me. (CCC #256)
Early Fathers Confirm the Dogma
Pope St. Clement ca 80 AD
Have we not one God, one Christ, and one Spirit of Grace poured
out upon us?

Accept our counsel and you will have nothing to regret. For as
God lives and as the Lord Jesus Christ lives, and the Holy Spirit...

Ignatius of Antioch ca 100AD

You are like stones for a temple of the Father, prepared for the
edifice of God the Father, hoisted in to the heights by the crane of
Jesus Christ which is the cross, using for a rope the Holy spirit.

Justin the Martyr ca 148-155 AD

In the name of God, the Lord and Father of all, and of our Savior
Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit
Athanasius Against Heresies, 359 AD
On this the Church was founded and if anyone departs from this he
neither is nor any longer ought to be called a Christian

It is a Trinity not merely in name or in a figurative manner of speaking:

rather It is a Trinity in truth and actual existence. Just as the Father is He
that is, so also His Word is one that is, and is God over all. And neither
is the Holy Spirit non-existent, but actually exists and has true being.

Less than these the Catholic Church does not hold lest she sink to the
Jews

Nor does she add...lest she be carried into the polytheism of the Greeks.
 Early Fathers Old Testament
Irenaus ca 189AD
It too, therefore, was made by His Word, as Scripture tells us in the
book of Genesis that He made all things connected with our world
by His Word. David also expresses the same [when he says] For He
spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created.

Athanasius ca 365 AD
When the Seraphim glorify God saying thrice, “Holy holy, holy,
Lord Saboath,” they are glorifying the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
 One Being Three Persons
Athenagoras ca 177 AD
Who then would not be astonished to hear...speak of God the
Father, and of God the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and who
proclaim Their power in union and Their distinction in order.

Gregory the Miracle Worker ca 260 AD

One God Father of the living Word...Genuine Son of the
Father...One Holy Spirit having substance from God. Perfect
Trinity in glory and eternity and sovereignty neither divided nor
estranged.

Marius Victorinus ca 356

To live then is Chris; and to understand is the Spirit. There fore
the Spirit receives from Christ, Christ Himself is from the Father—
and in this way the Spirit too is from the Father. All, therefore, are
one but from the Father
 A Mystery, Irenaeus
But, beyond reason inflated [with your own wisdom], you
presumptuously maintain that you are acquainted with the unspeakable
mysteries of God; while even the Lord, the very Son of God, allowed
that the Father alone knows the very day and hour of judgment. when
He plainly declares.

If, then, the Son was not ashamed to ascribe the of that day to the
Father only, but declared what was regarding the matter, neither let us
be ashamed to reserve for God those greater questions which may
occur to us. For no man is superior to his master.

If any one, therefore, says to us, How then was the Son produced by
the Father? we reply to him, that no man understands that production,
or generation, or calling, or revelation, or by whatever name one may
describe His generation, which is in fact altogether indescribable.
 Church Councils
First General Council of Nicea 325
Established the same substance of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit

Eleventh Council of Toledo 675

Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God and by nature one
substance, nature, majesty and power.

Fourth Lateran on Consubstantiation 1215

Though, therefore, the Father is one (being), and the Son is
another, and the Holy Ghost is another, yet they are not different
(non tamen aliud); but that which is the Father that is the Son
and the Holy Ghost, absolutely the same,
 Church Councils
Second General Council of Lyons 1274
Affirmed the “fililoque”

General Council of Florence 1439

Affirms to the Greeks and the Copts, the “fililoque.”

First Vatican Council 1870

One God Creator of all things. Corporeal and spiritual beings
have not emanated from the Divine Substance
Paul VI
Reaffirms Father, Son and Holy Spirit are of the same substance
and are fully equal, equally almighty, and equally eternal.