Some people consider the Blessed Trinity to be a theological mystery which is far removed from their everyday experience.

Not so!

Yes, the Trinity is a deep mystery of our Catholic faith. As the New Catechism says, "It is the mystery of God in himself." (# 234) But the Catechism also tells us that "God has left traces of his Trinitarian being in his work of creation." (# 237) This means that the Trinity is not just an abstract dogma for theologians to speculate about. Believe it or not, the inner life of the Trinity is actually reflected in our human experience.

Consider, for example, the family. If we examine the Church’s teaching on the Trinity carefully, we see that it has much to teach us about family life here on earth.

First of all, the Trinity reminds us that the nuclear family is a necessary social and cultural phenomenon. Let’s face it, the traditional family (i.e., mother, father, and children) has been under attack in our society for a number of decades now. Many no longer consider it the norm. As Christians, we must say, "Sorry, but it is the norm. After all, our God is a "family" of persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The inner life of God is a "family life," and the standard here on earth is the family as God designed it."

The Trinity also reminds us that fathers are important! That’s also a radical idea in this culture of ours which has been infected with radical feminist ideas. The Catechism says that in the Blessed Trinity the Father is "the source and origin of the whole divinity." (# 245) Without the Father, you would not have the Son or the Holy Spirit. The "family" of the Trinity needs the Father, and families on earth need a loving father (or at least a loving father figure). That role is essential.

The dogma of the Trinity reminds us that a bond of deep love should unite every family. It is a perfect love which unites the Father, Son and Spirit. Our family relationships should reflect that divine, self-giving love. Do they?

The Trinity teaches us that the uniqueness of every family member must be recognized and treasured. Some mistakenly think that the Father, Son and Spirit are just 3 different ways that we perceive the one God. That’s not true! The dogma of the Trinity teaches that there are three distinct persons in the one God. The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Spirit; and the Father is not the Spirit.

Sometimes in families younger children are pressured into being "just like" their older siblings. I’ve seen that happen so many times! And it’s almost always a big mistake; it usually leads to rebellion. Every child is unique, and their unique gifts should be affirmed and nurtured by everyone else in the family.

The Trinity also reminds us that children can do great things if they receive their foundation in a loving family. God the Son was eternally begotten by God the Father; then, in time, he took on flesh and saved the world! Your children could never pull that one off, but they can do great things—and achieve great holiness—if given the proper guidance, encouragement, and example in the home. Remember, some of the great saints of the Church were young people: Maria Goretti, Dominic Savio, and Aloysius Gonzaga to name a few.

The Trinity also reminds children of the need to be responsible and accountable to their parents. After the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity took on a human nature, he was always "accountable" to his heavenly Father. The Scriptures make that fact crystal clear. Listen to his words: "The Son cannot do anything by himself—he can do only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise." (John 5: 19)

And again: "I have not spoken on my own; no, the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to speak." (John 12: 49)

The obedience of Jesus to his heavenly Father (and to his earthly parents!), is to be the model for every child who is still under his parents’ care. Hear that, young people!

And finally, the Trinity reminds us that it’s important for parents to "let go" of their children at the proper time. That’s a difficult one for many mothers and fathers. The heavenly Father is to be your model here. As St. Paul said, "When the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son . . . " (Galatians 4:4) He was sending him into a situation that would ultimately result in his death, but he still sent him, because it was the right thing to do.

And then, after the Ascension, the Father and the Son sent the Spirit into the world to be with us always. That was yet another divine experience of "letting go."

The Blessed Trinity is a mystery that we will never fully understand. But what we do know about the Trinity can teach us much about the most practical and basic realities of life—like the family.