Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15
Wisdom was there first…
God created the world with wisdom. Not by accident, but with full knowledge and even more, with wisdom. The heavens, the earth and every detail were created the way God wanted them to be.
If we think about God and Wisdom as the foundation of all Creation, we read in the Letter to the Romans that the love of God has been poured into our hearts and that we will find peace with God through Jesus Christ.
There are only very few people in the Bible who are described as “righteous”, such as Abraham, Noah and Joseph, Mary’s husband. They were described as believing God and doing what God asked them to do. The word “righteous” here is used in the context of Jesus’ death: “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.” It seems like we are asked to become a good person rather than trying to become what we are likely never going to be, a righteous person.
God has created the world and us human beings, but what is our goal, our purpose in life? Through Jesus we are able to enter a state of grace. Jesus has suffered and we have to suffer, but Paul comforts us by saying that sufferings bring patience. The word patience derives from the Latin word patiens, which means enduring.
If we believe that Jesus is Christ, we will accept, endure the suffering as God has filled our hearts with love through the Holy Spirit. Together, Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit will care for us and love us.
At the beginning of chapter 16 of the Gospel according to John, Jesus warns his disciples that they would have to suffer through those who don’t know him nor God. Jesus leaves but he sends them the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth who will guide the disciples the way God and Jesus want them to be guided.
God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are tri-une. They are three persons in one, and through their special relationship we will have perseverance, hope, life and love. In fact, God pours out love through the Spirit, Jesus responds and sends the Spirit to stay with us.
Just like the relationship between suffering, perseverance, hope and love are mentioned, so are we human beings connected with one another.
When we receive the Holy Spirit, the mission of Christ and the Church become our mission. We become missionary disciples and are spirit-filled. Through Jesus and the Feast of the Trinity that follows the Feast of the Holy Spirit, we are not only filled with the Spirit but also with God’s love.
The community aspect of the Trinity also shows us that we don’t have one distant and judgmental God, but we have His righteous Son who died for us and the Holy Spirit who pours love in our hearts. As Christians, we are called to live in community. The Holy Spirit is with us, pouring love in our hearts and motivating us to continue our missionary work and to reach out to others who are struggling to believe. If we believe, our struggles will ultimately lead to love.
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