{"id":4213,"date":"2016-05-20T14:28:05","date_gmt":"2016-05-20T19:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/?p=4213"},"modified":"2016-05-20T15:08:16","modified_gmt":"2016-05-20T20:08:16","slug":"the-mystery-of-perfect-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/spiritual-reflections\/the-mystery-of-perfect-community","title":{"rendered":"The mystery of perfect community"},"content":{"rendered":"
A reflection by Fr. Dave Warren, S.F.M., for Trinity Sunday. First Reading: Proverbs 8.22-31; Second Reading: Romans 5.1-5; Gospel: John 16.12-15<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You\u2019re nobody till somebody loves you. I wonder if Dean Martin realized how much truth there is in these words. Our human existence thrives on relationships; without them, we are nothing. What do we have that we have not received from somebody else?<\/p>\n Humans are a social network because we are made in the image and likeness of God, and God is a social network. We call that social network the Trinity.<\/p>\n The Trinity is a network of relationships that we call Father, Son, and Spirit. Notice that Father, Son, and Spirit are each relational<\/em> terms. A father is not a father without a son or daughter; a son is not a son without a father; a breath (which is the meaning of \u201cspirit\u201d) is not a breath if there is nobody to breathe it.<\/p>\n The Trinity is a network of relationships. But more than that, the Trinity is total sharing: \u201cAll that the Father has is mine,\u201d says Jesus in today\u2019s gospel (John 16.15).<\/em> And what the Son has is given to the Spirit: \u201c[The Spirit] will glorify me, because He will take what is mine and declare it to you\u201d (John 16.14).<\/em> Each one gives everything that he is to the others.<\/p>\n The Father is God. The Son is also God because the Father gives everything He is to the Son. And the Spirit is God because the Father and the Son give everything they are to the Spirit. Each gives everything he is to the others, yet suffers no diminishment. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit share everything they are with each other and at the same time preserve their own distinct identity. The Trinity is the mystery of perfect community with no loss of individual identity. We humans struggle with that.<\/p>\n Married couples struggle with individuality in community. All of us\u2014whether married or single\u2014struggle with it. We struggle with it in our families, with our friends, with our teammates, and with our workmates. We want community with others, but we don\u2019t want to lose our individuality.<\/p>\n
\nYou\u2019re nobody till somebody cares. <\/em><\/p>\n\n
Our faith in the Trinity suggests that it is possible for us to live in harmony with one another\u2014we are made in the image and likeness of the Trinity who are unity in diversity, individuality in community.<\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n