Mystery of Holy Trinity
Dear Children of God, how are you? How have you been in this season of fasting of “The Great Lent.” We have now reached on the seventh week and yet, , two weeks ahead of us. We hope you are holding strong through it and fasting according the liturgy.
Children, in keeping the Church Liturgy, it is important to learn all the significant education that our Holy Orthodox Incarnation (Tewahedo) Church teaches us beginning our childhood. Therefore, it is necessary to attend the Church specially at the Sabbath. Ok? Good!
Now let us pass on to today’s lesson which is about the “Mystery of Holy Trinity.” You remember our last section about the Doctrine of Creation right? Good! Ok! so let us first see what the words Mystery and Trinity means separately.
Mystery means, “secret, hidden or not explained.” And Trinity is “the Threeness of God.” The Mystery of Trinity therefore is “the Triune of God in oneness.” This means God is one as well as three. Holy Trinity is three in name, in person, in deed and one in essence, in divinity, in existence, in will. Three in name: Father, Son Holy Spirit. Three in deed: The Father is the begetter, the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit is the one who proceeds. Three is person: The Father has a perfect person, the Son has a perfect person, and the Holy Spirit has a perfect person. The Father is the heart, the Son is the word, and the Holy Spirit is the life (breath). The Father is the heart for Himself, and He is the heart for the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Son is the word for Himself, and He is the word for the Father, and for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the life (breath) for Himself, and He is the life (breath) for the Father and the Son.
Even though we say the Trinity are three in name, in deed and in person; the three are one in essence, in divinity, in existence and in will; we do not mean three Gods but one God. While the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit exist in their own perfect person, they are one in existence. (Abulidis, Faith of the Father’s Chap. 40 verse 4:6)
Saint Gregory of Nyssa sated about Holy Trinity saying, “we understand that the operation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, differing or varying in nothing, the oneness of their nature must needs be inferred from the identity of their operation. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit alike give sanctification, and life, and light, and comfort, and all similar graces. And let no one attribute the power of sanctification in a special sense to the Spirit.” (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 5.)
Saint John Chrysostom in his commentary also said, “For the essence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is one, but the hypostases are three Each one (the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit) remains in his particular hypostasis and possesses equal power The Holy Spirit is of the same importance (as the Father and the Son).” (The First Catechesis, 21-23, Sources Chretiennes, vol. 50, page 119-120)
Dear Children of God, the education of “The Mystery of Holy Trinity,” is wide and deep. But we have presented it to you in this form and hope you have understood the lesson. For next time, we will learn about “The Mystery of Incarnation.”
Farewell! Have a good week!
May God be with you, Amen!