A good question is often more helpful than a good answer. In our confirmation course, a student asked:

“Father, if Jesus is God, how can he pray to God? It seems like he would be talking to himself.”

I congratulated him for his excellent question. My response was not original. It went back to Christian teachers of the earliest centuries: “The Father is God. His Son Jesus Christ is God. The Holy Spirit is God. Yet there are not three Gods, but one God.” That sums up the distinctive teaching of the New Testament. It is called the Holy Trinity.*

For fifty days we celebrated the fact that Jesus rose and then took his place at the right hand of the Father. Last Sunday, Pentecost, we recognized a Third Person whom the Father "poured out." His name is the Holy Spirit. Like Jesus and the Father, He is God.

The coming of the Holy Spirit was not a total surprise. Jesus spoke about sending someone with a mysterious name – Paraclete (paracletos). It comes from two words para “along side of” and cletos “called.” For that reason, we say the Holy Spirit is our Advocate (the Latin ad-vocatus means about the same as the Greek Paraclete). He is a Defender, or as we say today - an attorney.

We need an attorney when we have committed a crime or when accused of one. My dad, who installed septic systems, once dug a hole for a perk test. Unfortunately a cow slipped into the hole and broke her leg. My dad of course felt bad, but he felt even worse when the owner said it was his fault and wanted my dad to buy him a new cow. He took my dad to court. Pa got a lawyer and he won the case. Nothing like a good attorney!

Well, Jesus has given us the best of attorneys - and we need him because we face a vicious, unscrupulous accuser. According to Rev. 12:10, Satan accuses us “night and day.” Monotony does not depress him as it does us. He does not tire. Like a cruel person who spots your exact weakness, he keeps repeating: “You have sinned. You are garbage. If people really knew, they would be disgusted. Give up. Just end it all.” The devil desires suicide. Since the clergy scandals broke, two priests a have taken their own lives. A triumph for Satan, but a tragic loss for humanity.**

Against such a relentless accuser, our only hope is a powerful Defender. However, if we accept an all-seeing Attorney, we have to be willing to listen to him. He will not cover up the facts: "Yes, you have sinned. You do need to give yourself up. But not to anhilation. There is forgiveness. There is healing."

Last week I mentioned the Fr. Spitzer's prayer to the Holy Spirit. If you have not done so, please make that prayer for your own healing and for those you may have harmed. On this Trinity Sunday I want to take it a step further. You know, the young man who asked the question about God praying to God was not far from the mark. The fact is we could not pray unless the Holy Spirit prayed within us. He makes it possible for us to enter into the relation which is prior to all relations: the Father's eternal Word which is the Son - and the Son's loving submission to the Father. All that exists - including you and me - comes from that relationship of outpouring love. And it must return to it - or fall into eternal destruction. Having said that, we have arrived at the "bottom line" of all reality. Perhaps for that reason, Paul concludes his final letter to the Corinthians with these words:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. (2 Cor 13:14)

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