TRINITY SUNDAY

THE FESTIVAL OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY is the last major feast of the Christian year. It celebrates our God, Who has revealed Himself in the three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is a Mystery of Faith that is not easily understood.

CHRISTIANITY is the only monotheistic religion, for the true God is One, existing in the Three Persons of the Holy and Glorious Trinity. Jesus taught this when He said, “Behold, the Lord our God is One Lord.”  He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

NOTE:  It has become popular to say the Holy Ghost leads the Church into new truths. That is impossible. The Holy Ghost can only take the things of Christ and declare them unto us. He brought to the Apostles’ remembrance Christ’s words while He was with them on earth. For this reason, we continue with the Apostolic doctrine. As St. Jude wrote, “The Faith once delivered unto the Saints” (Jude 1: 3).

There is perfect harmony among the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, which inspires you not only to admiration but also to awe or what is known as Holy Fear. You have been created by God the Father, Redeemed by God the Son unto eternal life, and strengthened by God the Holy Ghost for victorious Christian living in and through the Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity  – The Acorn, St. Ignatius Parish, Riverside, CA

The Creed of Saint Athanasius is an official formulary of The Anglican Catholic Church, having come to us from the Ancient Church and having been received and required to be used three times a year in The Church of England. Unfortunately, this Creed did not enter the American Prayer Book. As it has been long appointed to be used on Trinity Sunday, we are using it today in keeping with the ancient practice of the Church. In so doing, we bind ourselves to the Christians down through the ages that have used this statement to defend the Catholic Faith. You may remember that Saint Athanasius was almost the sole defender of the Faith in his day against the heresy of Arianism around the year 325. He spent more time in exile from his Diocese than he enjoyed being the Father of God to his people. The phrase was coined, “Athanasius against the world!”  In the end, the Church did come around to accepting his position as expressive of the Catholic Faith and rejecting the heresy put forth by Arius. This was due, in large part, to the faithfulness of this one man and his small band of followers who stood with him. They demonstrated that just because everyone believes something to be accurate doesn’t make it so. A majority vote does not determine Faith. They would not compromise, they did not seek to appease, and they would not surrender any of that which Christ had delivered to His Apostles. The heretics were far and away in the majority, as they expressed the popular opinion of their day. In the end, St. Athanasius won the victory for Christ as he stood for Him.