Finding the three in one

Painting by Sr. Mary Grace Thul, OP

I've been meditating on the meaning of our belief in the Trinity. I have always found the doctrine of three Persons in one God complicated and deep. St.Augustine makes the point that Trinity reminds us of charity. He likens the relationship within the Godhead of three to the charity that Jesus recommends to us, always.You cannot practice charity unless there is another.

I wanted to go beyond that concept. So I searched for three themes to be found in spiritual writings. I found that the author of the Cloud of Unknowing tells us in chapter 5 that before we can enter into the cloud of unknowing we must first surrender to the cloud of forgetting, all things past, present and future. You need to read the whole chapter to get a proper understanding of what the author is trying to say. But it does point to a threesome effort.

I am thinking of three solid monastic principles that all seekers embrace when they walk into the cloister: conversion, compunction, and vestiture. Before a monastic can set out on the spiritual journey, she must first turn away from her former way of living (metanoia), show her sincerity with a deeply felt sorrow, and proclaim that change of heart by changing either/both her name and her outward garment. The three are dependent upon each other.

I am thinking of the three main proofs of faith that St. Paul gives us in 1 Cor: 13:13, Now these three remain, faith, hope and charity. This senstence comes after a whole chapter on love. Yet, as Paul says, love comes from faith and hope. Another Trinitarian concept.

Richard Rhor talks about three ways of seeing. He says we see through our senses, through our thinking, and through our understanding. It takes both senses and thought to make what we are examining into something meaningful. To live spiritually, according to Rhor, we need all three.

I am sure there are more ways the Trinity concept affect our lives than I have shared. I would be very interested in hearing other thoughts on this. Please share!