Father Cantalamessa teaches us about the Holy Trinity of Love: "God is love in himself, before time, because he has always had in
himself a Son, the word, whom he loves with an infinite love, that is,
in the Holy Spirit. In all love there are always three realities or
subjects: one who loves, one who is loved, and the love that unites
them.
The God of Christian revelation is one and triune because he is
communion of love. Theology has made use of the term "nature" or
"substance" to indicate unity in God, and of the term "person" to
indicate the distinction. Because of this we say that our God is one God
in three persons. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is not a
regression, a compromise between monotheism and polytheism. It is a step
further that only God himself could make the human mind take.
Let us now turn to some practical considerations. The Trinity is the
model of every human community, from the most simple and elemental,
which is the family, to the universal Church. It shows how love creates
unity out of diversity: unity of intentions, of thought, of will;
diversity of subjects, of characteristics and, in the human realm, of
sex. And we see, specifically, what a family can learn from the
Trinitarian model.
If we read the New Testament with care, we observe a sort of rule. Each
one of the three divine persons does not speak about himself, but about
the other; does not attract attention to himself, but to the other.
Every time the Father speaks in the Gospel he does so always to reveal
something of the Son. Jesus, in turn, speaks only of the Father. When
the Holy Spirit reaches a believer's heart, he does not teach him to say
his name, which in Hebrew is "Ruah," but teaches him to say "Abba,"
which is the Father's name.
Let's try to think what this style would bring about if it were
transferred to family life. The father, who is not so concerned about
asserting his authority as that of the mother; the mother, who before
teaching the child to say "Mommy," teaches him to say "Daddy." If this
style was imitated in our families and communities, they would truly
become a reflection of the Trinity on earth, places where love is the
rule that governs everything."
Loving One Another: And in This We Will Also Love God
7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other[a] because he loved us first.
20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister,[b] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.[c]
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