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Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, Cycle B
Terranova Hermitage
May 27, 2018
Diversity: Portal to the Trinity
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Trinity and Diversity
Today is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.
If we look back over our entire Christian history, theologians have written many, many things about this central mystery of our faith – one God, three persons. We keep trying to understand more fully the mystery of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Today, I want to share one insight that is proposed by Father Richard Rohr. Father Rohr is a Franciscan, a theologian, and a leader of spirituality.
He says this: “The mystery that we’re talking about here is clearly diversity on display! The Three [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] are diverse, different, and distinct – and yet they are one.”
In other words, the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. As Father Rohr says,“The Three are diverse, different, and distinct – and yet they are one.”
Creation and Diversity
From this, Richard Rohr draws an important conclusion.
He says that this insight means that there is diversity at the very heart or core of reality for God is being itself. God is the origin of all life and all that exists.
It follows that if there is diversity in God, there must also be diversity in all of creation: plants, animals and minerals.
And because human beings are made in God’s image and likeness there surely must be diversity among us as well.
Richard Rohr also states it this way. He says that God is goodness, goodness itself.
Since there is diversity in God, this means that goodness is not sameness or uniformity. And so, God did not make us to be uniform, that is, everyone and everything the same or alike.
Instead, God made us diverse, different, and distinct, and, as Genesis says, God looked upon all that he had made and saw that it was good. So, to be good or like God, we are to be who we are.
The more we welcome and embrace this diversity, the more we are in the flow of the divine life. And the more we welcome and embrace this diversity, the more we are participating in the divine goodness.
We and Diversity
A few weeks ago, I noticed a poster hanging on the wall in a sacristy where I’ve helped out on weekends.
It had the word diversityspelled out in a column with each letter beginning a phrase. The first line read, “D is for Different.” The second “I is for Individuals,” etc.
D – is for Different.
I – is for Individuals.
V – is for Valuing.
E – is for Each Other
R – is for Regardless of
S – is for Skin
I – is for Intelligence
T – is for Talents and
Y – is for Years.
That poster stuck in my mind and helped me understand what the word “diversity” really means.
Putting it all together it read: Diversity: Different – Individuals – Valuing – Each other – Regardless of – Skin – Intelligence – Talents – or Years.
We could, of course, include other differences like language, nationality, religion, culture and on it goes. Diversity includes all the differences, the rich differences within the human family.
Respect Diversity
Perhaps before I began it would have sounded strange, to say that Trinity Sunday calls us to embrace diversity.
That very fact tells me I have to take note of my tendency for uniformity. I have to refrain from the temptation to make others into being like myself if they are to be acceptable.
It also tells me that I have to note the prejudices or stereotypes I have and be more open to accepting individuals as they are.
Finally, I have to keep in check my fears of those who are different from me, and instead see diversity for what it is –a richness, an opening us up more fully to the richness of humanity, and as leading us closer to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
There’s a real challenge for us in today’s celebration, for there is much diversity in our lives that we are called to embrace.
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