Pope Francis: Holy Trinity revolutionizes our way of life

Source: Vatican News

The Holy Trinity "is not so much a theological exercise," but "a revolution in our way of life" - Pope Francis stressed this during his Angelus address to pilgrims in St Peter's Square, today, the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

The Pope began by recalling today's Gospel reading in which Jesus presents the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus explains that the Spirit, "will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come."

The Pope pointed out that the Holy Spirit speaks, but not of Himself, rather He announces and speaks about Jesus and reveals the Father. Likewise, the Father, "who possesses everything, because He is the origin of all things," gives to the Son everything He possesses and keeps nothing for Himself.

The Holy Father encouraged the faithful to look at themselves and about what we pronounce and possess. He observed how normally, when we speak, we tend to speak about ourselves and what we do. "How different this is from the Holy Spirit, who speaks by announcing others!"

Moreover, the Pope lamented our tendency to hold tightly onto our possessions, not sharing what we possess with others, "even those who lack the basic necessities!"

The Holy Father stressed that our words must translate into actions. "This is why," Pope Francis said, "celebrating the Holy Trinity is not so much a theological exercise, but a revolution in our way of life." God, in whom each Person lives for the other, not for himself, provokes us to live with others and for others.

"Today we can ask ourselves if our life reflects the God we believe in: do I, who profess faith in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, truly believe that in order to live I need others, I need to give myself to others, I need to serve others? Do I affirm this in words or with my life?"

God, One and Triune, must be shown with deeds rather than words. God, the Pope continued, "is transmitted not so much through books, but rather through the witness of life."

"Think about good, generous, meek people we have met; recalling their way of thinking and acting, we can have a small reflection of God-Love. And what does it mean to love? Not only to wish them well and to do good, but first and foremost, at the root, to welcome others, to make room for others, to give space to others. This is what it means to love..."

The Trinity, the Pope said, teaches us that one can never be without the other. "We are not islands... we are in the world to live in God's image: open, in need of others and in need of helping others."

Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to ask themselves: "In everyday life, am I too a reflection of the Trinity?".. "The Sign of the Cross that I make every day, remains a gesture for its own sake, or does it inspire my way of speaking, of encountering, of responding, of judging, of forgiving?"

Pope Francis concluded with the prayer: "May Our Lady, daughter of the Father, mother of the Son and bride of the Spirit, help us to welcome and bear witness in life to the mystery of God-Love."

Watch the Angelus on the Vatican Youtube channel here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH1aRjmUE0w