Whenever I go on vacation, at some point I always go to the beach. I like to go where there are few people where the only thing you hear is the waves crashing on the sand and the wind rustling through the palm trees. There at the water’s edge standing on the sand, you can feel the soft breezes coming off the ocean that refresh us during the cruel heat of summer. I have always felt that those breezes, like in Scripture, are the embrace of the Holy Spirit that, like the wind, moves us in different directions. Eventually, I go into the water and after a swim, I just simply wade in the ocean. It is never lost on me that I am surrounded by God’s majesty especially when you’re an hour or two from sunset. You see the sun reflecting off the clouds with magnificent colors. The sea begins to calm a bit. The roar of the waves gets softer. And there I am wading in the immensity of the ocean, staring off into the horizon at God’s wonderful handiwork. Like on the shore with the wind, whenever I wade into the vast ocean, I feel the embrace of our Triune God. The ocean is vast, mysterious, powerful, and deep. Just like our God. I must admit there have been times that I have wandered far from shore because I start contemplating this strong force that engulfs me and how it compares to God’s love for me. The depths of our God are great and far surpassing our understanding, yet we are still called to wade into those depths.
As we celebrate the Holy Trinity today, we are reminded by our Catechism that “the ultimate end of the whole divine economy is the entry of God’s creatures into the perfect unity of the Blessed Trinity (260).” We are called to eventually enter into this great mystery of love that exists between Father, Son, and Spirit. That is yet to come, but the Catechism reminds us that “even now we are called to be a dwelling for the Most Holy Trinity (260).” We may not understand this great mystery. That’s fine. Even Jesus tells the disciples in today’s Gospel that he has much more to tell them, but they cannot bear it until they receive the Spirit. That is why, like we did last week, we must ask for that Spirit and let this Divine Mystery dwell in us. God is a mystery of love that must dwell in us to transform us and guide us.
It’s not about understanding high theological concepts. It’s about understanding that we are called to dwell in this community of love that we call the Holy Trinity. When we allow God to abide in us, we are capable of reflecting His glorious love to the rest of humanity and in turn call humanity back to God which is our ultimate destiny. In the ocean, I forget about all else and am totally immersed in that divine moment. Mind and heart clear of all thoughts of the world which makes it possible to better contemplate the majesty of our God. During this long weekend, when so many of us seek to “get away” and find peace, where is your place where you can clear your mind and heart? Where is your beach or your ocean? Where can you leave the world behind and contemplate the depths of God’s love? Sometimes you don’t have to go very far because everything that God is and the totality of his love is manifested every Sunday right here on this altar. This weekend, allow yourself, if only for a brief moment, to leave the world behind and be immersed in the depths of God’s love.
