Scripture Reflection - June 15, 2025

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

First Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31

Psalm 8:4-5,6-7,8-9

Second Reading: Romans 5:1-5

Gospel: John 16:12-15

“…the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

This Sunday we celebrate one of the greatest mysteries of our Christian faith, the mystery of the Holy Trinity.  As we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we are invited into the profound mystery of God’s eternal nature – one God in three divine persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Over the centuries, saints, theologians, and scholars have used various symbols and stories to explain the mystery of the Trinity: the trifoliate shamrock leaf; the blazing sun shedding light and heat; a beautiful rose with its color, shape and fragrance; and a small child trying to scoop the ocean into a small hole on the beach.  Andrei Rublev’s famous icon, “The Trinity,” depicted here, offers for me a visual meditation on this divine mystery and invites us to contemplate the depth of God’s love, unity, and relational life.

Rublev’s icon, although called “The Trinity,” actually depicts a scene from the Book of Genesis in which three angels appear to Abraham and Sarah at the Oaks of Mamre and foretell the birth of their son. The three angels seated around the table are traditionally interpreted as the Holy Trinity. Although the figures resemble each other, each figure is distinct but connected. Their postures and gazes create a harmonious circle symbolizing unity and community.  This imagery encourages us to reflect on the relational nature of God:  within the Trinity itself, love flows freely and is self-giving.  The Trinity is a community of love, sharing life in perfect harmony.

The colors displayed in the icon also offer rich symbolism.  The blue robes on all three angels symbolize the divine. The gold robe on the angel on the left signifies the divine light and glory of the Father, the angel in the center wears earth colors as a sign of the humanity of the Son, and the angel on the right wears green for the Holy Spirit who give life. These elements emphasize that God’s love extends beyond the divine into our human experience and invites us into communion with the divine.

Contemplating this icon deepens our understanding that the Trinity is not merely a doctrine to be learned but a mystery to be lived.  It challenges us to mirror that divine communion in our own relationships – within our families, communities, and church.  Like the figures in the icon, we are called to be open to divine love, to foster unity and diversity, and to reflect the self-giving love of the Triune God.

It is interesting to note that Rublev created this icon for the Church of Saint Sergius in Russia in 1425. Saint Sergius was a Russian Orthodox monk whose spiritual doctrine and social programs made him one of Russia’s most respected spiritual leaders. His motto was “through contemplation of the most Holy Trinity we can overcome the hateful divisions of the world.” As we honor the mystery of the Holy Trinity today, let us pray for the grace to understand more fully the love that unites the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and to embody that love in our daily lives.

Sr. Mary T. Flood, OP