²⁷ “When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; ²⁸ When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; ²⁹ When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; ³⁰ Then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day,  Playing before him all the while, ³¹ playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men. 

Contextually, in contrast to vv. 22-26, which presented the panorama of the Lord’s creative actions in a movement from below to above, vv. 27–29 present them in the reverse direction, moving from the heavens (v. 27a) and its horizon (v. 27b) to the sky and clouds (v. 28a) downward to the fountains of the deep (v. 28b) and the seashores (v. 29b) and finally to the foundations of the earth (v. 29b). Thematically, Wisdom represents the Lord as firmly establishing the cosmic entities that both sustain and threaten human existence. In both sections (vv. 24–27 and 27–29), however, the earth as the realm of human life is the aim of the presentation. All the metaphors for creation in vv. 27–29 signify that each of the cosmic entities on which human life depends are so firmly fixed within the created order that they cannot overreach themselves or be transgressed by another. Were it otherwise, the cosmos would crumble into chaos. Humanity’s physical existence depends on a firmly structured universe. The Lord’s fixed created order serves as a model of his fixed moral boundaries for human beings to prevent society from collapsing into anarchy.

Many commentaries refer to Proverbs 8:22-31 as a celebration of Wisdom from the primordial beginnings. It is as though the scribes are saying, “Look, we are only celebrating in our day, what the Lord has provided for us since the dawn of creation.” This shift of focus is marked by the change from “I” (vv.12, 17) to the Lord (vv. 22–31). The section begins with “the Lord” and ends with b^enê ʾādām (“I found delight in the sons of men”), the climax and aim of God’s creative works.

This section, unified thematically by wisdom’s connection with God’s creative works, falls into two equal stanzas. The first pertains to her origin before creation (vv. 22–26); the second, to her presence and celebration during the creation (vv. 27–31). These two halves are linked by a thematic chiasm: 

A, Wisdom’s origins (vv. 22–23); 
B, the negative state of the creation (vv. 24–26); 
B′, positive presentation of the creation (vv. 27–29); 
A′, Wisdom’s celebration of humanity’s origins (vv. 30–31).

²² “The LORD begot me, the first-born of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; ²³ From of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth. ²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,  when there were no fountains or springs of water; ²⁵ Before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; ²⁶ While as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world. 

As we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday, we do well to remember the connection between the Holy Spirit and Wisdom.  I would typically provide some insight to the upcoming Gospel, but this passage of The Book of Proverbs is captivating and so I thought perhaps we might look at the first reading for the upcoming Trinity Sunday.

²² “The LORD begot me, the first-born of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; ²³ From of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth. ²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,  when there were no fountains or springs of water; ²⁵ Before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; ²⁶ While as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world. 

²⁷ “When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; ²⁸ When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
²⁹ When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; ³⁰ Then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day,  Playing before him all the while, ³¹ playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men. 

³² “So now, O children, listen to me; ³³ instruction and wisdom do not reject! Happy the man who obeys me, and happy those who keep my ways, ³⁴ Happy the man watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts; ³⁵ For he who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the LORD; ³⁶ But he who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”   (Proverbs 8:22–36)

Rublev’s Trinity is one of the most famous religious icons in the world, and it’s a deeply symbolic and theological work of art. Painted by Andrei Rublev, a 15th-century Russian monk and iconographer, it visually represents the Holy Trinity — not as an abstract doctrine, but as a deeply relational and spiritual mystery. The inspiration for the icon is the Old Testament story in Genesis 18, where three angelic visitors come to Abraham and Sarah, a scene often called “The Hospitality of Abraham.”  Yet Abraham and Sarah are notably absent from the scene. This shifts the focus from a narrative scene to a theological vision: not a story about the Trinity, but an icon of the Trinity.

Even as we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday, some critics rightly point out, nowhere in Scripture does the word “Trinity” appear. Their argument is then that the idea of a Holy Trinity is a human doctrine. Yet, Christians are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: not in their names, for there is only one God, the almighty Father, his only Son and the Holy Spirit.  Call it what you will, but the long Christian tradition has been to refer to his revealed truth as the Most Holy Trinity. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the hierarchy of the truths of faith. The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men ‘and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin.” (CCC§234).

The celebration of Holy Trinity Sunday — the Sunday dedicated to honoring the mystery of the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) — has an interesting development in the history of the Catholic Church. In the early Church (first few centuries), there was no specific feast day solely dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Instead, belief in the Trinity was celebrated implicitly in almost every Mass, because Christian worship was (and is) always directed to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. The early Church was more focused on defining the doctrine of the Trinity, especially during controversies like Arianism (which denied the full divinity of Jesus). The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) and later Council of Constantinople (381 AD) formally articulated Trinitarian doctrine.

As heresies continued in the Post-Nicene era and the Church’s doctrine matured, there was a growing desire to have a specific liturgical celebration that explicitly honored the Trinity. By the 8th century, some monasteries, especially in parts of France and Germany, began celebrating a local feast in honor of the Holy Trinity. In the 9th–10th centuries devotion grew, especially promoted by monks and theologians (like the Benedictines).  In the 11th century Pope Alexander II reportedly opposed making it a universal feast, saying that the Church daily honored the Trinity liturgically. However, the idea continued gaining ground in various regions. 

This coming Sunday is Holy Trinity Sunday. If you have been following the Gospel readings from weekday Masses, you will find that this Sunday gospel is very much in continuity with those readings. They come from the Farewell Discourse within the Gospel of John. A synopsis of the discourse can be understood as: the warning of Jesus’ coming death, that He is going away to a place they know and where the Father has a room prepared for them, not to worry, the Holy Spirit will come to enlighten their minds, enflame their hearts and remind them of all they have been taught.  On Pentecost Sunday, just a week ago, that promise was fulfilled with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Before fully entering “Ordinary Time” in the liturgical year, we shift gears to celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday followed by Corpus Christi. Continue reading →