During a baptism, the celebrant, parents, and godparents mark the sign of the cross on the child’s head.

During a graveside service, the presider will gesture the sign of the cross over the remains.

We mark our important occasions, including at the beginning of our most sacred, the Mass, by the sign of the cross.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

Just the mere mention of these words has many of us gesturing in a motion that we learned at a very early age. The Trinity is built into us, it’s part of us… we recognize it and even accept it as a given and… sometimes even take for granted just how unique, special, and mysterious it actually is. Three beings all as one. Hm… that defies everything we know and understand about nature and science. How can something be exactly one thing and fully three things all at the same time?

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… is actually quite unique, special, and mysterious.

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity as we round our way out of the Easter Season and back towards Ordinary Time. You’d think that the readings for the day might touch on the Trinity, explain it, offer some insight and wisdom, maybe try to unravel the mystery a bit for us so it is all a little less… strange. But they don’t. Instead, they describe the characteristics of our God. Characteristics we know about, including the following: merciful, gracious, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and filled with love and peace.

These are characteristics we’ve heard about before… many times… and again… can become easy to take for granted. We can think to ourselves: ok, the Creator of the Universe seeks us, forgives us, comes toward us, and accompanies us… without ever stopping for a moment and really considering just how incredible that actually is.

Because the Creator of the Universe could have… could have…

… demanded our worship.

… given us one chance and only once chance to get things right… or else.

… required our full attention at all times.

… offered us no choices, no free will, but instead fashioned us into subjects beholden to him, our master.

God could have…

… been stone cold, cruel, and indifferent.

… hard to approach.

… absent to us during our worst trials.

… temperamental, unpredictable, and not at all anything… or anyone… we could count on.

No, instead this God washed our feet, told us he would never stop looking for us when we were lost, hung upon a cross beaten and suffering for us, forgives, shines a light into our darkness, offers endless mercy, and showers us with his unconditional love.

This God… is unique, special, and mysterious. True enough.. but He’s also also gift, grace, and the very essence of hope.

And this is nothing at all to take for granted.