Several years ago a priest thought he would be creative during a baptismal ceremony. So he baptized each child, “In the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer, and of the Sanctifier.” Of course, he should have said, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” When his bishop found out, he was not amused, for the babies were not validly baptized and had to be returned to church and receive real authentic baptism. Why the priest did what he did, I don’t know. Perhaps he wanted to be more inclusive, but he had reduced the Trinity to three functions – creation, redemption, and sanctification. However, the Trinity is much more than that. The Trinity is three divine persons living in perfect harmony and loving relationship with one another so as to be united into one God. The Trinity is a model of who and what we should be. Let us pray for the grace to form more harmonious, loving relationships with one another so as to better reflect the Trinity in our lives.
- Fr. Carl
We should say every morning:
“My God, send me thy Holy Spirit
to teach me what I am and what thou art!”
- The Cure D’Ars
