RCIA

1
The Holy Trinity Father, Son, Holy Spirit
2
Useful Information

• Father Keith Mathur
• fr.mathur_at_stmchurchallentown.org
• 610-433-7413 x40
• Mr. Kevin Damitz
• kevin_at_stmchurchallentown.org
• 610-437-3491

3
(No Transcript)
4
What is the essence of God?

• Essence what makes a thing what it is.
• So what is the essence of God?
• LOVE

5
1 JOHN 416

• God is love, and he who abides in love abides in
  Him.

6
LOVE

• EROS
• Completely selfish
• Self-gratifying
• Narcissistic
• English word ? erotic
• PHILIA
• Brotherly love
• English words ? filial, Philadelphia
• AGAPE
• Love spoke of in the NT
• Love that completely gives of itself for the sake
  of the other

7
? ? ?Q U E S T I O N S ? ? ?
8
Love

• God is the same way
• God is infinite, so He infinitely gives and
  infinitely receives love.

9
Basic Tenets of Revealed Truth about God

• 1 God, not 3
• Sign of the Cross
• 3 Persons
• Father
• Son
• Holy Spirit
• Through their own will established a hierarchy of
  equality
• Does not relegate greatness or power but helps
  us understand how the Trinity works within itself
  still a mystery folks!

10
God the FATHER

• Source of the Trinity
• Dont let language confuse you
• Source does not mean the Son the Holy Spirit
  are lesser than the Father

11
God the SON

• Not created, but begotten
• In fact eternally and infinitely begotten

12
God the HOLY SPIRIT

• Not created, nor begotten
• He is SPIRATED

13
Genesis 126

• Then God said, "Let us make man in our image,
  after our likeness.
• - New American Bible

14
Attribution

• Father Creator creates and makes all things
  possible.
• Son Redeemer saves humanity from their sins
  by becoming human.
• Spirit Sanctifier continually makes things
  holy as a gift sent from the Father and the Son.

15
? ? ?Q U E S T I O N S ? ? ?
16
Transcendence

• God is transcendent and beyond all of creation
  so all ideas and speech about God is going to
  somehow be lacking in a fully explaining who God
  is.

17
Father Revealed by the Son

• God is Father in as much as he is the Creator of
  the world
• God is Father because of the covenant he made
  with Israel to send his 1st born Son
• Father is the first origin of everything
• Father shows his goodness and loving care for his
  children
• Jesus Himself reveals God as the Father and as
  Creator
• Eternally God is Father by his relationship with
  His only Son
• AD 325- Council of Nicaea- Son is consubstantial
  with the Father

18
Father Son Revealed by the Spirit

• Jesus promises to send the Spirit
• The sending of the Spirit is after Jesus
  glorification
• Holy Spirit is not the spirit of the Father
• Spirit least understood of the Trinity marked
  difference in the Eastern Western Church (both
  Catholic Orthodox)

19
? ? ?Q U E S T I O N S ? ? ?
20
How Do We Understand the Trinity
21
How Do We Understand the Trinity
22
How Do We Understand the Trinity
23
How Do We Understand the Trinity
24
Dogma of the Trinity

1. In the 1 Divine Nature (when we say nature,
   philosophically it means the essence of being
   so there is 1 Divine Nature consisting of 3
   Divine Persons the Father, Son, and Holy
   Spirit).
2. No one of the 3 Divine Persons is either of the
   other Divine Persons but rather each Person of
   Trinity is wholly Himself.
3. The Father is the 1 true God, the Son is the 1
   true God, and the Holy Spirit is the 1 True God.
4. There are not 3 Gods, but 1 God.

25
The Importance of Words in Theology and Philosophy

• Possessive Statements
• Very important for natures
• Who vs. What
• What nature (1 God)
• Who person (3 Persons)
• Nature decides what I can do
• Person describes who we are
• If you were to ask God
• Q What are you? A God would respond together,
  GOD!
• Q Who are you? A They would each respond
  Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.

26
? ? ?Q U E S T I O N S ? ? ?
27
! ! !You are now all EXPERTS on the Most Holy
Trinity! ! !