A teacher in religion asked her class what the name of the First Person of the Holy Trinity was. A pupil promptly raised his hand. Expecting him to answer “God the Father,” the boy instead said: “Harold.”

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Taken aback, the teacher replied, “Harold? How come?”

“Listen, ma’am,” he said; then recited: “Our Father who art in heaven Harold be thy name… See, Harold is his name!”

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If there’s any consolation, the amusing story shows how mysterious the Holy Trinity is. This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. The Catholic doctrine teaches that there are three divine persons--God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. All three are distinct but only one.

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We have modern analogies which can bring us closer to the truth. For instance, ice, water, and steam are three distinct forms of the same substance, H2O. Then we have the “three-in-one coffee” (milk, sugar, coffee in one cup).

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Why do we believe God as Trinity? For the simple reason that Christ revealed it to us. In St. John's gospel, the Lord said: "When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth...whom I myself will send from the Father, he will bear witness on My behalf" (Jn 14:16).

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Then there is Christ's final mandate: "Go, therefore, into the whole world, teach all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19). Thus, we invoke the triune God when we make the Sign of the Cross. (Are we aware of the Triune God when we sign ourselves?).

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How does the mystery fit into our day-to-day life as Christians? To paraphrase an existentialist philosopher, the "Trinity is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived." Unraveling the puzzle of the Trinity is not so important as living out its message in practical life.

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In pondering the Holy Trinity, what comes out distinctly is: COMMUNITY.

If there are three persons in one God, then there has to be a community intimately united by the bond of love. So they don't need a cellular phone or e-mail to communicate with one other!

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Do we reflect the Trinitarian love in our communities? For instance, if we are aware that our families are images of the Trinitarian Family, it would help married people, for instance, to overcome the difficult moments of their lives.

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I remember how my father and mother would quarrel bitterly. My mother was naturally patient but when my Papa became unbearable with his nasty temper, Mama would leave us and cool off with her spinster aunts some blocks away from our house in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Of course, the five of us kids would feel very sad.

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Papa had an authoritarian personality aggravated by his Spanish blood and high blood! A double trouble. But after a couple of days, Papa would regret his mistake and would sheepishly ask Mama to return home. Mama’s homecoming was always a happy event. Looking back, the spirit of forgiveness from both sides somehow kept our family intact despite the bitter quarrels.

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How about our prayer communities, our schools, our offices and workplaces? Do they reflect the Trinitarian community in regard to unity, justice and love?

Obviously we can – and will never – achieve a perfect unity, a perfect family or a perfect community, but the most we can do is try.

As one spiritual writer puts it, “God does not expect us to be perfect, but to keep trying and growing.”

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FAMILY TV MASS — is aired by the SVD Mission Communications Foundation, Inc. on IBC 13 at 9-10 a.m. every Sunday.

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Mass sponsor: Fortune Group of Companies, City State Center Shaw Blvd., Pasig City. Celebrant: Fr. Moises "Bong" Cabrera.

For inquiries and Mass offerings, e-mail: familytvmass@gmail.com.