Homily: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9 | 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 | John 3:16-18
31 May 2026
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
Many people spend their lives trying to prove their worth, afraid that without success or achievement, they may no longer be valued. Workers feel appreciated only when they produce results. Even in families and relationships, some begin to wonder if they are loved only when they are useful, strong, or successful. They exhaust themselves hoping to be, at the very least, deemed enough. Sadly, some bring that same mindset into their relationship with God, thinking: “Maybe God will love me more if I become better first, if I am worthy.”
Today, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, our Gospel gives us a completely different image of God. When Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son” (John 3:16), take note that God loved first—before humanity became holy, before people fixed themselves, before the world deserved it. God loved first. That is the mystery of the Trinity. At the heart of God is not cold power, but relationship and love. The Father gives, the Son is given, and the Holy Spirit remains with us. In the First Reading, when God reveals Himself to Moses, He describes Himself as “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6). That is how God introduces Himself—not harsh, impatient, or condemning, but merciful and compassionate. Jesus repeats this beautiful truth in the Gospel when He says, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17).
I once heard a professor say that there are some of us who are harder on ourselves than God is. Some carry guilt from the past. Some quietly believe they are failures because life did not turn out the way they hoped. Others are spent from trying to please everyone, trying to achieve more, trying to be enough. But the Trinity reminds us today that our worth begins not in our performance, but in God’s love. Before we succeed, we are loved. Before we recover, we are loved. Before we become better, holier, or stronger, we are already loved by God.
Saint Paul tells the Corinthians, “Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11). This tells us that Christian life does not begin with fear; it begins with receiving love. When one truly believes he or she is loved by God, this person slowly changes—not because he or she is terrified, but because love transforms from within. It is the experience of being loved that inspires us to be better for the one who loves us. God the Father has created us in love and all the wonderful things around us. In return, we show our love by living a life that glorifies our Creator and by being good stewards of the blessings we receive. God the Son gave His life that we may be saved. In return, we show our love by honouring His sacrifice, especially during the Mass. Lastly, God the Holy Spirit inspires us and grants us the sevenfold gifts. In return, we allow ourselves to be led by the Paraclete, and we share these gifts for the good of others.
The Trinity, therefore, may be a difficult doctrine to explain, but it is actually a beautiful revelation that we are living in a universe held together by divine love. Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, we remember who we belong to: the Father who created us, the Son who saved us, and the Holy Spirit who remains with us. We do not have to earn the right to be loved by God. We simply embrace this reality of being God’s beloved.
From STAINEDGLASSINC.COM
Sunday Gospel Reflections 