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March 4

The Joy of the Trinity

The thought that there is great joy in the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit means that joy rather than chaos or despair lies at the heart of the universe. The dancing God rather than the vengeful God is revealed in the biblical narrative.

When in alarm and dismay we see the way in which war, poverty,

injustice, and environmental degradation continue to mar our world, then it is hardly surprising that some would embrace the politics of despair. There does not seem to be a lot of good news in our world.

And when one thinks of the bleakness of the crucifixion of Christ, one can easily think that the weight of the world’s madness dominates the heart of God. But this is not so. Love and joy are at the heart of the Trinity. The mission of God, while a painful one, comes from the generosity of God’s love.

The German mystic Meister Eckhart writes “When the Father laughs to the Son and the Son laughs back to the Father, that laughter gives

pleasure, that pleasure gives joy, that joy gives love.”63

To see God merely as one who is burdened by the world’s realities and difficulties is to miss something fundamental about the nature of God. God is first and foremost a community of mutual love and care marked by joy. And it is out of this inner joy and love that God loves our world. Thus love—not chaos and craziness—is our central impulse.

Thought

If we were also marked by joy maybe our loving would have a greater depth and endurance, and our exploitation and warmongering would diminish and finally cease.