Last week, we reflected on Francis’ devotion to the Holy Spirit as the guide of his life. Yet Francis understood that the Spirit is one Person within the greater mystery of the Holy Trinity. He saw the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a perfect community of love, and he sought to reflect that same love within the community of the Friars Minor. 

For Francis, the Holy Trinity was not simply a theological idea, but a living and loving reality. He emphasized praise of the Trinity and composed prayers to express this devotion. In The Praises of the Trinity, he begins, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, who is and who was and who is to come. Let us praise and exalt Him above all forever.” 

Francis held a deep love for each Person of the Trinity. He adored the Father as Creator of all things. He loved the Son as Redeemer and as the fullest expression of God’s love made visible. He relied on the Holy Spirit as the one who inspires and guides from within. His devotion was shaped by a profound awareness of the Incarnation, recognizing Jesus as the Second Person of the Trinity who became man for our salvation. 

On Trinity Sunday, the Church invites us to contemplate this great mystery: one God in three Persons, united in an eternal exchange of love. Francis trusted in this mystery and lived it out through his relationships with others and with all of creation. 

This week, let us place our trust in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. May we grow in love for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and reflect that love in how we live and relate to others.