Welcome to this week’s Living Word!
Our Word of the Week is Trinity.
The Trinity is a mystery that we can never fully understand, but it is a central part of our Catholic faith. The Trinity is the belief that there is one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are distinct from each other, but they are also one God. This special feast helps us reflect on how we understand God and inspires us to get to know him more closely in our lives.
Section 1: A Circle of Love
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
R./ Glory to you O Lord. +
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
The Gospel of the Lord
R./ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Many people try to understand the mystery of the Trinity through analogies such as the water analogy. We believe in one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Water exists primarily in three physical forms (states of matter) – solid, liquid, and gas – determined by temperature and pressure. It readily changes between these forms as part of the water cycle, existing on Earth as ice, liquid water, and water vapor. This is somewhat helpful in assisting our understanding of the Trinity since all three are water, just in different forms. The only difference is that the one God that we believe in does not change into God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit based on the conditions. He just always is both all three and yet, one God.
The scripture passage says “God did not send his Son to into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” In our own lives, are we quicker to judge (condemn) others or to try and help (save) them?
Think of a team or a group you belong to. How does working together as ‘one’ (like the Trinity) make you stronger than working alone?
Almighty God, You are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – one God in a perfect circle of love. Help us to mirror your unity in our classrooms and our homes. Teach us that we are never alone, for you are always with us and for us. Amen.
Section 2: Better Together
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Trinity is the ultimate model for how humans should live together. Because God is a Trinity – a relationship of three persons – we are created in that image to be social beings. We are not meant to be isolated; we are meant to live in community, looking out for one another. This links to the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the Common Good. As a Catholic Community, we are called to strive towards what is best for everyone.
In Mass, the Catholic community come together to profess their shared faith through a prayer called The Creed. You might recognise some of the words as you listen to this worship song called This I Believe (The Creed). As you listen, remember that the concept of the Trinity is part of the mystery of faith; we’re not meant to understand it completely. Reflect on the words as you listen. Do any stand out for you?
Prayer: Let us pause for a moment of silence.
God of all, You revealed Yourself through God the Father, who created us and calls us by name, through God the Son, who walks with us and showed us how to love, and through God the Holy Spirit, who breathes life and courage into our school. Help us to live out what we believe as a Catholic community. May the circle of your love widen through our words and actions today. Amen.
Section 3: The Power of Three: Faith in Action
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
Recent psychological studies suggest that humans are hardwired for triadic relationships – where two people connect over a shared purpose or a third thing. Whether it’s a shared hobby, a common goal, or a mutual friend, the power of three creates stability. In the same way, the Trinity shows us that love isn’t just about God and each individual, but about how that love overflows to include others.
The Trinity is often symbolised by the Shamrock or the Celtic Knot – distinct parts that form one single, unbreakable shape.
- Can you identify three people in your life who support you?
- Using green card from your form resource box, cut out one large, simple shamrock shape and take turns to add the names of people who support you to it. Add this to your form scrapbook.
A Traditional Prayer: The Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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