ST. MARK'S, PHILADELPHIA.
TRINITY SUNDAY, 1928.
MY DEAR PEOPLE:
Today we celebrate the Festival of the Most Holy Trinity. The Athanasian Creed makes the following declaration of Faith. "The Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity: Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begot ten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things as aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped."
The School of the Christian Year is the best School of instruction in the Christian Faith. When anything has become rooted in one's life, then one knows it. And this is a very different thing from merely knowing something about it.
A real observance of the Christian Year involves a cycle of Communion and prayer. The result of that will be life with God and speech with God. In this life, and through this speech, the soul discovers the deep things and learns the high things of God. The road runs straight from the Child in the Crib to the door that is opened in Heaven.
Affectionately in Our Lord,
