Trinitarian Trinitarian Communion asCommunion as

Model & Basis for Model & Basis for Ecclesial Ecclesial

CommuntionCommuntion

The Church Originates from The Church Originates from the Trinity and is the Icon of the Trinity and is the Icon of

the Trinitythe Trinity• According to the According to the Lumen GentiumLumen Gentium the the

Church comes from the Trinity, is Church comes from the Trinity, is fashioned after the image of the Trinity fashioned after the image of the Trinity and journey towards a trinitarian and journey towards a trinitarian fulfillment of history. fulfillment of history.

• From chapter 2 to 4 we see the From chapter 2 to 4 we see the economic trinity at work in the history economic trinity at work in the history of salvation and originating the of salvation and originating the Church Church

LG LG 2 - The Father called together all 2 - The Father called together all those who believe in Christ within those who believe in Christ within the Church the Church

• which has been foreshadowed from which has been foreshadowed from the beginning of the world the beginning of the world

• and prepared in the history of the and prepared in the history of the people of Israel and in the ancient people of Israel and in the ancient covenant.covenant.

• LG 3LG 3 - The Son sent - The Son sent by the Father by the Father inaugurated the inaugurated the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God. The Church, which is the Church, which is the kingdom of Christ kingdom of Christ already present in already present in mystery, grows mystery, grows visibly through the visibly through the power of God. This power of God. This beginning and growth beginning and growth is symbolized in the is symbolized in the blood and water blood and water flowing from the side flowing from the side of Jesus on the cross. of Jesus on the cross.

• LG LG 4- The Holy Spirit, on the day of 4- The Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, was sent to sanctify the Pentecost, was sent to sanctify the Church so that believers would have Church so that believers would have through Christ access to the Father. through Christ access to the Father.

• The Spirit dwells in the Church, The Spirit dwells in the Church, leads the Church into all truth and leads the Church into all truth and makes it one in fellowship and makes it one in fellowship and ministry, directing the Church, ministry, directing the Church, rejuvenating and renewing her.rejuvenating and renewing her.

• Thus, the Church is "a people made Thus, the Church is "a people made one by the unity of the Father and one by the unity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.“the Son and the Holy Spirit.“

• The Church is the icon of the Trinity: The Church is the icon of the Trinity: she is structured in her communion she is structured in her communion according to the image and likeness according to the image and likeness of the Trinitarian communion.of the Trinitarian communion.

• The Church can be analogically The Church can be analogically likened to the divine communion, one likened to the divine communion, one in a diversity of Persons by a fertile in a diversity of Persons by a fertile interchange of relations.interchange of relations.

The church structured in accordance with The church structured in accordance with the Trinity communion maintain its the Trinity communion maintain its distance from bothdistance from both

• uniformity which flattens out and uniformity which flattens out and deadens the originality and richness of deadens the originality and richness of the gifts of the Spirit andthe gifts of the Spirit and

• all divisive discord, which fails to all divisive discord, which fails to harmonize the tension between the harmonize the tension between the various charisms and ministries in a various charisms and ministries in a creative mutual acceptance of persons creative mutual acceptance of persons and communities in the oneness of faith, and communities in the oneness of faith, hope and love.hope and love.

Trinity as Final Goal of the Trinity as Final Goal of the ChurchChurch

• Born of the Father, through the son Born of the Father, through the son and in the Spirit, ecclesial and in the Spirit, ecclesial communion should return through communion should return through the Son, in the Spirit, to the Father, the Son, in the Spirit, to the Father, until the day when all are subjected until the day when all are subjected to the Son, who in turn will give over to the Son, who in turn will give over everything to the Father.everything to the Father.

The Trinity as Paradigm of the The Trinity as Paradigm of the ChurchChurch

Trinitarian Communion basis for Trinitarian Communion basis for Ecclesial communionEcclesial communion• The trinitarian communion is the model of The trinitarian communion is the model of

ecclesial communion.ecclesial communion.• Ecclesial communion reflects trinitarian Ecclesial communion reflects trinitarian

communion. "The solar mystery of communion. "The solar mystery of perichoretic communion in the Trinity sheds perichoretic communion in the Trinity sheds light on the lunar mystery of the Church. light on the lunar mystery of the Church.

• This is a derived mystery, derived from This is a derived mystery, derived from other more basic mysteries and in particular other more basic mysteries and in particular that of love and communion between the that of love and communion between the three divine persons. Just as there is three divine persons. Just as there is trinitarian trinitarian koinoniakoinonia, so there is ecclesial , so there is ecclesial koinoniakoinonia. .

• The main definition of the Church is this: The main definition of the Church is this: the community of the faithful in communion the community of the faithful in communion with the Father, through the incarnate Son, with the Father, through the incarnate Son, in the Holy Spirit, and in communion with in the Holy Spirit, and in communion with each other and with their leaders. each other and with their leaders.

• Episcopal collegiality finds its best Episcopal collegiality finds its best theological basis in the communion of the theological basis in the communion of the Trinity. There are many bishops, but they Trinity. There are many bishops, but they form one episcopal body. form one episcopal body.

• In the same way, there are many local In the same way, there are many local churches, but all together make up the one churches, but all together make up the one church of God. All the local churches are church of God. All the local churches are united through the risen Christ, in the united through the risen Christ, in the Spirit. Ecclesial communion expresses Spirit. Ecclesial communion expresses trinitarian communion. "May they be one, trinitarian communion. "May they be one, just as you and I are one."just as you and I are one."

• The text from John (17:20-21) The text from John (17:20-21) demonstrates the perichoretic demonstrates the perichoretic relationship between the Son and the relationship between the Son and the Father. It is put forward as a model for Father. It is put forward as a model for the community of those who follow the community of those who follow Christ. Christ.

• The trinitarian vision produces a vision The trinitarian vision produces a vision of the Church that is more communion of the Church that is more communion than hiearchy, more service than than hiearchy, more service than power, more circular than pyramidal, power, more circular than pyramidal, more loving embrace than bending the more loving embrace than bending the knee before authority.knee before authority.

The Trinity as Paradigm for the The Trinity as Paradigm for the Basic Ecclesial CommunitiesBasic Ecclesial Communities

• . . One of the ultimate goals of the BECs is One of the ultimate goals of the BECs is the concrete realization of communion the concrete realization of communion among the members within these among the members within these communities and between the various communities and between the various communities of faith. communities of faith.

• These communities aim to achieve unity These communities aim to achieve unity of mind and heart among the members. of mind and heart among the members.

• They seek to become a community of They seek to become a community of friends and disciples trying to live out friends and disciples trying to live out the Gospel values of love, sharing and the Gospel values of love, sharing and service. service.

• "May they be one, just as you and I are "May they be one, just as you and I are one." The text from John (17:20-21) one." The text from John (17:20-21) demonstrates the perichoretic demonstrates the perichoretic relationship between the Son and the relationship between the Son and the Father. It is put forward as a model for Father. It is put forward as a model for the community of those who follow the community of those who follow Christ. Christ.

• The Trinitarian vision produces a vision The Trinitarian vision produces a vision of the Church that is more communion of the Church that is more communion than hiearchy, more service than than hiearchy, more service than power, more circular than pyramidal, power, more circular than pyramidal, more loving embrace than bending the more loving embrace than bending the knee before authority.knee before authority.

The Trinity as Paradigm of the The Trinity as Paradigm of the Basic Ecclesial CommunitiesBasic Ecclesial Communities

• One of the ultimate goals of the BECs is One of the ultimate goals of the BECs is

the concrete realization of communion the concrete realization of communion among the members within these among the members within these communities and between the various communities and between the various communities of faith. These communities of faith. These communities aim to achieve unity of communities aim to achieve unity of mind and heart among the members. mind and heart among the members. They seek to become a community of They seek to become a community of friends and disciples trying to live out friends and disciples trying to live out the Gospel values of love, sharing and the Gospel values of love, sharing and service. service.

• The idea of the triune God as a The idea of the triune God as a perichoretic communion of the three perichoretic communion of the three divine persons can be meaningful and divine persons can be meaningful and relevant to those who actively involved in relevant to those who actively involved in the building of BECs. It serves as a model the building of BECs. It serves as a model or paradigm for the BECs. or paradigm for the BECs.

• The kind of BECs that is to be realized The kind of BECs that is to be realized will be the incarnation of the values of will be the incarnation of the values of communion, sharing, equality, self-giving communion, sharing, equality, self-giving love, and unity in diverstiy that is love, and unity in diverstiy that is inherent in the Trinity. The communion in inherent in the Trinity. The communion in the BECs is to be patterned after the the BECs is to be patterned after the Trinitarian communion.Trinitarian communion.

• The trinity provides a model of unity in The trinity provides a model of unity in diversity. The trinitarian model shows diversity. The trinitarian model shows that unity within the BECs, among the that unity within the BECs, among the BECs and in the whole Church can be BECs and in the whole Church can be achieved not in uniformity and achieved not in uniformity and subservience but in diversity and subservience but in diversity and communion. communion.

• The trinity also provides a model of The trinity also provides a model of equality in dignity among the members equality in dignity among the members of the BECs.of the BECs.

• When the Christian community truly When the Christian community truly lives in loving communion modeled on lives in loving communion modeled on the Trinitarian communion, then it truly the Trinitarian communion, then it truly is the sacrament of the Trinity. is the sacrament of the Trinity.

• When the perichoretic communion is When the perichoretic communion is really reflected in the life of the really reflected in the life of the community, the BECs then becomes community, the BECs then becomes truly the icon of the trinity.truly the icon of the trinity.

• The Trinity is therefore not just an The Trinity is therefore not just an external and distant model for the BECs. external and distant model for the BECs. The trinitarian communion can be The trinitarian communion can be experienced in the Christian community. experienced in the Christian community. The more the community lives in The more the community lives in communion, the more it participates in communion, the more it participates in the mystery of the trinity.the mystery of the trinity.