A unique characteristic of the Christian faith is that God has been revealed to us as Trinity.  We are monotheists, believers in one God.  But we also believe that one God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Some Christians never give the Trinity a thought.  Others have a disconnect between theological belief and any practical implication.

We profess to be made in the image of God.  How do we reflect the Trinity?  We can draw some insight from today’s passage in the first letter of John which tells us that “God is love…God sent his only Son…”  God is not revealed to us in the New Testament as a single, self-sufficient individual, but as a community of persons who are interdependent and bound together in love.  Creation of the world and of humankind is an outpouring of the love of God, “as God is, so are we in this world” (vs. 17).

Jesus is our link to God, the connection between God’s divinity and our humanity, the Word made flesh.  Jesus taught us that we cannot say “I love God,” unless that love is expressed in love for our brothers and sisters: not those whom we choose to love, but all of God’s people, even our enemies.

This is a difficult teaching.  To share the life of God, we must be active, loving members of the human community.  We are called to build up the Kingdom of God, to share in God’s creative act.  Christians cannot simply take care of themselves or of “our own”.  We are our brother’s and sister’s “keepers”.  Our call is to work for the common good, to recognize our interdependence and solidarity with all people. The gifts we have been given by our generous God have been given to share.  Following the example of Jesus, we are called to demonstrate a special communion and concern with the “least among us.”

Today’s Scripture acknowledges that fear can be an impediment to love.  When we are honest with ourselves, we can recognize how fear can paralyze us.  Fear is the principal weapon of terrorists.  They know that fear prevents us from acting; fear can drive us away from one another, turn us into ourselves and weaken our community.  Those who bring fear can exercise power over us.  But Scripture tells us that love is the opposite of fear.  “Perfect love casts out fear…whoever fears has not reached perfection in love” (vs. 19).

When we examine our conscience to consider how we have sinned, we must look at not only what we have done, but also what we have failed to do.  Do my actions show a love for all?  Am I working for the common good?  Am I simply concerned with my personal needs and the needs of my immediate family and my own kind—or do I demonstrate a love and concern for all God’s people?  How do I participate in society?

By Father Joseph Vetter, Catholic Campus Minister, Duke University