THE FATHER IS NOT THE SON

The Blessed Trinity is a Christian mystery in the sense that nobody is able to explain it in any satisfactory way. One false step and you will become a heretic! For example, only the Son died on the cross to redeem humanity. The Father did not die on the cross though the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one and the same God! In ancient times, bishops and theologians made use of images to convey what they wanted to say. It was safer because images are inexact and whenever you try to be exact, you end up being a heretic. So long as you do not mix up the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and acknowledge all three Persons as one God, you are safe.

Nowadays, theologians tend to explain the Trinity is a more relational manner. Instead of talking about the nature, essence of the three Persons, now they talk more about their relationships. Such an approach is more dynamic and in fact is closer to the Scripture. Of course it is because the ideas of Persons and  Nature/Essence are Greek philosophical jargon Christian theologians borrowed to explain the concept in an acceptable way to the non-believers. The Bible speaks a different language.

The gospel reading today (John 5:17-30) is a typical exposition of part of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. Though the Holy Spirit was not mentioned, it must be hovering in the background. In the text, Jesus illustrated many times the sameness of the Father and the Son: both of them are working (5:17), they do the same things (v.19) and they give life (v.21) etc. But the Father is NOT the Son.  This is obvious even in human relationships. In isolation, the Son cannot do anything of his own accord (v.19). However, there is at least one thing the Father does not do but let the Son do: to pass judgment (v.22, 27). But even here, sameness is found because the judgment of the Son is the same as the Father (v.30)! Why not? If their judgments were different, they would be schizophrenic! After so many centuries of using Greek jargon, it is refreshing to explain this mystery in a different paradigm. Since no man is an island. A relational approach is a right path to take.

May the Three in One be blessed, forever and ever. Amen.