When I was much younger, I used to think that God was totally invisible, not to be experienced as the people in the bible did. After all, they heard God’s voice in the fiery cloud; they saw the waters parted so they could pass through — all the things that Moses talks about in the first reading. But then I ask myself, do I want my faith to be based on special effects? Or do I want to trust Jesus, who told Thomas, “Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.” (Jn 20:29)
Jesus was referring to his resurrection appearances, but it also applies to the Holy Trinity. When we see a newborn child, she can remind us of God the Father creating the earth and all living things. When we see the cross, we recall Jesus saving death and resurrection. When we share our faith with someone, we know that it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the words to speak and the courage to speak to them. Seeing God’s work around us, we can still experience God in Three Persons.
The three are not just equal parts of God, one-third of God each. Three infinite Persons are united in one substance or being, so the love they have for each other is infinite. Everything God does is done by all three Persons. You could say that everything the Trinity does, is done out of love.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications