MYSTERIUM TREMENDUM: The easiest way to explain the Triune God is to say that it cannot be explained because it is a mystery. I would like to offer some of the insights I developed while grappling with THE Mystery. The Trinity is a Community of Love. But if love is true, it has to be given away. The Father gave it away in Creation; the Son gave it in Redemption; and the Holy Spirit in Sanctification. Yes, love spilled over us. And we are evermore invited to participate in this Love-relationship. Only by entering into a relationship with the Triune God can we have a glimpse of the Mystery, with our limited approximations. ///// ENTERING INTO A RELATIONSHIP. In the Chicken World Blog (Feb28), I narrated how Minding (raising) Chickens ran in the Family. I collected eggs from Mama Melang’s big poultry houses. But I have no relationship with those “Layers.” I also fed the chickens and changed the water in Mommy’s poultry house but I have no relationship with those “Broilers.” In both cases, I did what I was ordered to do and I did it because I care for my Aunt and Mom. I have a relationship with both, not with the chickens. But at present, when we engaged in minding chickens, things begin to unfold. I visit the fowl pen often to check on the chickens and the eggs. I feed them and change their drinking water daily. I make sure that the fence is secure. No one orders me to do these chores because they have become “my” chickens. I have a relationship with them. I try to learn their ways of communication. And I begin to understand and appreciate their world. ///// IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT, YOU’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND: If I was able to understand some chicken ways, how much more God’s ways? But same is true; I have to build relationship with God. I have to develop a “daily” contact with Him. I have to “mind” God too! There was a time when I got soaked by the rains trying to protect the baby chicks. And I was depressed when we lost “hatch-able” eggs due to a break-in by some playful boys. Eggs are available for sale everywhere but the time and care I invested has no price. Again, how much “protective” am I with my God and how “depressed” am I when I lose Him? ///// Trinity is a Mystery just as Love is. Only by entering into a love-relationship (self-giving) can understanding unfold. One could not have an understanding of this mystery when he doesn’t involve himself personally in the love- relationship. You have to be there, hands-on, with your own personal style, care, sacrifice, self-giving. Minding chickens and Trinity? A strange parallelism but makes sense for me. Yes, only in a love-relationship can we understand the Mysterium Tremendum, for GOD IS LOVE. ///// BLOOD COMPACT (Corpus Christi) ///// Excessive loss of blood is fatal. Leukemia is “blood poisoning.” Dialysis may help transfuse good blood to change the bad blood. Blood donors are needed by the blood bank. We know how important and sensitive it is. In a way, blood connotes life. It may also signify death. ///// The members of the Katipunan (Philippine Guerrilla vs. Spain) make a cut on their arms with a knife and let the blood pour in one basin to seal their compact: One Blood, One Life, One Cause. In the OT, we saw Moses sprinkling blood to the Altar and to the people to seal the covenant between Yahweh and Israel. “I will be your God, and you shall be my people.” In the NT, Jesus’ blood poured for our forgiveness (the New Covenant): “This is my Blood. It will be shed for you and for all!” ///// The Eucharist is offered to us to give us New Life. As it were, God offers us a “dialysis” of some sort. And why do we still are the same after countless Eucharist? Fr. Munachi Ezeogu, cssp has an answer: Why then do many of us who receive the Eucharist not experience more of this radical transformation? Maybe this story will throw more light on the question. A team of Russians and Americans were on a common expedition. Among their cabin foodstuff was Russian black bread. It was tasty but hard on the teeth. It happened during a meal that an American bit into a piece and snapped a tooth. He threw the bread overboard and growled: “Lousy Communist bread.” The Russian countered: “Is not lousy communist bread. Is rotten capitalist tooth!” If we do not experience the transforming power of the Eucharist it is probably not on account of a lousy Eucharist but on account of our rotten faith. Let us today approach the Eucharist with a more lively faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and we shall experience therein God's saving power and transforming love. ///// 10-21 June 2006 (PICS UPDATED IN MSPGUYANA SITE)