Father, Son and Holy Spirit
The belief in a Trinitarian God is uniquely Christian; no other major religion in the world professes that there are three Persons in one God. The concept of a Trinitarian God is not only unique, but also impossible to humanly explain. St. Augustine was quoted to say that if you deny the Trinity, you lose your soul, but if you try to explain it, you lose your mind. Although we cannot fully understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity, there are some things that have been revealed to us that are important for us to know and to understand, so that we can knowledgably live a Christian life.
When Jesus said that everything that the Father has belongs to the Son, and everything the Son has belongs to the Father (Jn 17:10), and that the Holy Spirit will take from what is of the Son and declare it to us (Jn 16:14), in a way, Jesus revealed the undivided unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Catechism teaches us that the Trinity is One: the Father is that which the Son is, the Son is that which the Father is, and that the Father and the Son are that which the Holy Spirit is (CCC 253). The difficulty presented by this undivided unity is that although the three Persons are distinct from one another, they are one God. And even though each one is God whole and entire, they are not three separate gods.
So how is it that the Persons in the Holy Trinity are the same, and at the same time, not the same? The real distinction between the three Persons is found only in their relationships to each other – the first Person is the Father, the second Person is the Son, and the third Person is the Holy Spirit (CCC 255). God did not reveal himself to mankind as three Persons in one God in order to confuse or confound us. But on the contrary, it is in order for us to appreciate the extraordinary relationship of love among the three Persons. The unity of love within the Holy Trinity is so perfect that despite three Divine Persons, there can only be one God. The First Letter of St. John tells us that “God is love.” God’s very being is Love. By sending His only Son and the Spirit of Love in the fullness of time, God has revealed his innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and God has destined us to share in that love (CCC 221).
This year, the Eucharistic Congress will be held on June 21 and 22 at the GICC. Once again, our church has been honored to do the First Reading in Chinese during the morning Adoration, and one of the intercessions during the closing Mass. Come and join us in carrying our church banner in the morning and evening processions. The morning procession starts at 8:30am on Saturday, June 22, and the evening procession starts at 4:45pm before the closing Mass. Please contact Linda Chiang for the morning and evening procession.
Faith Formation Class for Adults in Cantonese is now being offered every Sunday at 12:30pm until August 11, 2019. We meet in the Reconciliation Room. All are welcome!
Our Fourth of July BBQ will be held this year at Pickneyville Park (Soccer Complex), 4707 S. Old Peachtree Road, Norcross 30071. Come and join us from 10am to 1pm for three hours of fun, fellowship and great food. The church will provide hot dogs and hamburgers; however, you may bring a dish to share. Donations for this event are welcome. Please register with Agnes or Anna if you are planning to attend.
This year, instead of our annual Summer Camp on Labor Day, our church will join a 4-day cruise to Princess Island in the Bahamas from 9/16 to 9/20. For more details, please see Antonia Fu or Cathy Liu. Please sign up as soon as possible so that we can book the trip at a special low price.