First Reading • Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
Psalm • Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Second Reading • 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Gospel • John 3:16-18
As I begin, I have a simple question: Why do we use incense at Mass?
Some might say it symbolizes our prayers rising to God. Some Say It makes the church smell nice. Others might say it makes the liturgy more solemn and beautiful.
All those answers are correct. But today, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, I would like us to think about something deeper.
Look at the incense smoke. You can see it rising. You can watch it spread throughout the church. But you cannot hold it in your hand. You cannot fully grasp it. Yet you know it is there.
In many ways, that is how the Bible speaks about the presence of God.
In the Old Testament, God often revealed Himself in what is called the “glory cloud.”
When the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai, the mountain was covered by a cloud as God came down to meet Moses.
When the Temple was dedicated, a cloud filled it, showing that God was present among His people. The cloud revealed God’s presence, yet at the same time concealed His full glory.
The same image appears in the New Testament.
The angel tells Mary that the power of the Most High will overshadow her.
At the Transfiguration, a cloud overshadows Jesus and the disciples, and from that cloud the Father’s voice is heard: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
There is a beautiful story about Saint Augustine.
He was walking by the seashore trying to understand the mystery of the Trinity.
He saw a child trying to pour the entire ocean into a small hole in the sand. Augustine said, “That is impossible.”
The child replied, “And it is even more impossible for the human mind to fully understand the mystery of God.”
That is true. The Trinity is not a puzzle to be solved but a mystery to be adored.
We believe in one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Holy Spirit is God. Yet there are not three gods but one God. Human language struggles to explain this mystery because God is infinitely greater than our minds.
Yet the Trinity is not only something to believe. It is also something to live.
The Father eternally gives Himself to the Son. The Son receives the Father’s gift and returns that love completely.
The Holy Spirit is the bond of love between them. At the heart of the Trinity is a perfect communion of self-giving love.
That is also God’s plan for our families.
In today’s world, families and relationships face many challenges. Busy lives, hurts, misunderstandings, and disappointments can sometimes create distance between people who love one another.
The love we see in the Holy Trinity teaches us that genuine love is more than a feeling.
It is a daily commitment to give, forgive, support, and remain faithful to one another.
The Trinity teaches us that real love is not selfish. Love means giving, listening, forgiving, sacrificing, and remaining faithful.
Parents reflect the love of the Trinity when they sacrifice for their children.
Husbands and wives reflect the Trinity when they remain faithful and forgiving.
Children reflect God’s love when they honour and care for their parents.
The more a family prays together, forgives one another, and keeps Christ at the centre, the more that family becomes a living image of the Holy Trinity.
Every time we gather for Mass, we are not merely attending a religious service. We are entering into the mystery of God’s own life and love.
The Father gathers us, the Son feeds us with His Body and Blood, and the Holy Spirit unites us as one family of faith.
The same Trinitarian love that we are called to reflect in our homes is offered to us here at this altar.
Like the glory cloud of old, the Eucharist both reveals and conceals the presence of Jesus. Under the appearance of bread and wine, the Lord Himself is here among us.
As we continue this Mass, watch the incense rise again. Let it remind you of two truths.
First, God is a mystery greater than we can ever comprehend. Second, God is a love greater than we can ever imagine.
Like the incense that surrounds us, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit surround us with their presence and love.
And our calling is to allow that divine love to fill our hearts, our families, and our parish, until one day we share forever in the joy of the Holy Trinity in Heaven.
