Make sure they can explain when and where the symbol originated and how Christians have used it to teach about God through the years.). He is also said to proceed from the Father as “the Word” in John 1:1. John 3:16; 1:18). Also, the Son addressing the Father and himself in an “I/thou” relationship is unmistakable. Thus, the Holy Spirit is revealed in Scripture to possess the same infinite and divine nature as does the Father and the Son. And the Council of Florence, AD 1338-1445, can help us in this regard. The reason why the Trinity is such a hard concept to grasp is because it doesn’t make since logically to our brains. The weakness inherent here—there are weaknesses in all analogies with reference to God—is that our knowing, being, and willing are not each infinite and co-extensive as the persons of God are. These “three” do not “equal” one if we are trying to say 3=1 mathematically. Give them three highlighters, markers, colored pencils or crayons. The Holy Spirit is a distinct person of the Holy Trinity, who exists as the communication and personification of the mutual, flowing, and never-ending relationship of love and unity between God the Father and God the Son. Start by talking about the word “Trinity” itself. (Optional: Give the students a research assignment. Our analogous family consists of three beings. Invite families to join in family catechesis at home with the Formation5 daily email. As an infinite act of love between the Father and Son, this “act” is so perfect and infinite that “it” becomes (not in time, of course, but eternally) a “He” in the third person of the Blessed Trinity. But when the Counselor comes (the Holy Spirit), whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness of me… (John 15:26). Humankind is created “in [God’s] image and likeness” (cf. The Trinity Prayer Worksheet: Students will write prayers to each person of the Trinity showing what they know about each yet uniting it together as one prayer. His main problem was conceptual. His problem with the Trinity was not so much with biblical texts, and obviously so, because he did not accept the Bible in the form it is in today as the word of God. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. We believe in one, true God, YAHWEH, who is absolute being, absolute perfection, and absolutely simple. My niece understood that Jesus is the Son of God, but didn't understand that Jesus is God; that he was born as a human baby. Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 232-267. A short video explaining the Holy Trinity and the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Give each group some time to present to the class. God So Loved the World Worksheet: Students will reflect on God the Father’s love for God the Son and us. Explaining the Trinity to Children. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. Have the groups designate a representative for the group to speak on their behalf to the entire class. What a great mystery for our students to seek to understand and for us to teach! From the context of Genesis 1, we know this “image and likeness” does not pertain to the body of man because God has no body. Therefore, in these three, let him who can do so perceive how inseparable a life there is, one life and one mind and one essence, and finally how inseparable a distinction there is, and yet there is a distinction. With good reason therefore we consider the number of people coming to Mass, not only on Sundays but also very specially on weekdays. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.4&appId=205754619489674"; This Most Holy Trinity lesson plan challenges students to us historic symbols of the Trinity to explain how God is one substance yet three distinct persons. Neither is true, of course. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. This is why CCC 240 teaches, “[The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity] is Son only in relation to his Father.”. Another way to explain the Trinity is to use a … The Religion Teacher | Catholic Religious Education. Life Teen Men's Retreat The Men’s Retreat sponsored by Life Teen is a weekend of brotherhood, restoration, and inspiration. Our Core Team shares our Catholic faith with relational ministry, joyfully leading social events, community service, prayer, and other faith-based opportunities with teens. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is … Practice: Holy Trinity Craft. Offer a more detailed explanation of the Holy Trinity here. Trinity as the Speaker, the Word, and the Breath. And these are foundational to the four relations that constitute the three persons in God. There are a lot of Holy Trinity craft ideas that would help your students … Jared Dees is the creator of The Religion Teacher and the author of 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator & Christ in the Classroom. Indeed the divine nature cannot be bodily or material because there can be no potency in God as there is inherent in bodies, so this “image and likeness” must be referring to our higher faculties or operations of intellect and will. 2:10 also reveals the Holy Spirit to be omniscient when it says, “… no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” He speaks as God in texts of Scripture like Hebrews 3:7-11: 10:15-18. Nothing can quite capture the complete concept of the Trinity (One God - the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit), we must accept by faith that God is One and yet exists as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Again, no analogy is perfect. When was it first used? Bring in a shamrock or show a picture to the students. HTYM is a group of teens that seeks to KNOW Jesus Christ, to GROW in personal relationship with Him, … In Catholic theology, we understand the persons of the Blessed Trinity subsisting within the inner life of God to be truly distinct relationally, but not as a matter of essence, or nature. There are not “two beings” involved; rather, two persons relationally distinct, while ever-remaining one in being. Jared Dees is the creator of The Religion Teacher and the author of 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach, Praying the Angelus, and the new book, Christ in the Classroom. They are one in nature and purpose. St. Patrick explained the doctrine of the Holy Trinity to his flock in Ireland by using the three leaves of the shamrock. CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION FIVE: THE HOLY SPIRIT. Holy Trinity Youth Ministry invites you to consider serving with our Core Team! But in the end, if we combine our two analogies, we can at least see both how there can be three relationally distinct realities subsisting within one being in the anthropological analogy, and how there can be three relationally distinct persons who share the same nature in the analogy of the family. Surely a man stands face to face with himself. Everyone talks about the Holy Spirit. (Optional: you can also give students a copy of the Baptismal promises showing them how we profess our faith in the Trinitarian God when we renew our baptismal vows.). Even young children know them. Each of the three persons in the godhead possesses the same eternal and infinite divine nature; thus, they are the one, true God in essence or nature, not “three Gods.” Yet, they are truly distinct in their relations to each other. Have them distinguish between the three sections of the creed and label them Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And when it comes to the Trinity, there are many analogies to choose from. People struggle with this idea of the Trinity because we can’t quite seem to make sense of the Math. 11, St. Augustine writes: I speak of these three: to be, to know, and to will. When we think of a family, we can see how a father, mother, and child can be distinct persons and yet possess the same nature (human), just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons who each possess the same nature (divine). Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. Analogy is the theologian’s best friend in explaining the mysteries of the Faith. Have the students discuss how they can use this symbol to explain how God is one substance, but three distinct persons. They either think Christians are claiming there are three Gods (which is what my Muslim friend actually believed to be so), or that we are teaching something that is a logical contradiction, e.g., 3=1, and 1=3. So St. Patrick tried to break this concept down for us by saying that a shamrock is like the Trinity because it … You can expect to hear engaging talks, to enjoy some outdoor fun in the beauty of the north Georgia mountains, and most importantly, to encounter God through the sacraments and times of prayer. 13, Ch. This revelation of God’s love personified is the foundation from which Scripture could reveal to us that “God is love” (I John 4:8). Yet, this relationship between two persons clearly has no beginning in time because it existed before the creation, from all eternity. Explaining the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit will be needed at some point when presenting the God of the Bible to children, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses and other non-believers. Ask the students: After you give the students a chance to explain what they know, use the shamrock to explain that God is one substance yet three distinct persons. Put the question cards in one basket (the other basket will be for discards). This is the fifth Christian foundation in this study. The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the most fundamental of our faith. The Holy Trinity File Folder Games (2 Game Boards to choose from) Directions: The objective of the game is to collect the most tokens by answering questions correctly about the Holy Trinity. Thus, the Holy Spirit’s procession is not intellectual and generative, but has its origin in God’s will and in the ultimate act of the will, which is love. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; Explain that Jesus sent out the disciples to baptize in the name (not the names) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28). We will explore just two of them here that I have found helpful. The Council’s definitions concerning the Trinity are really as easy as one, two, three… four. SWBAT explain that God is one substance, but three distinct persons. There are a lot of Holy Trinity craft ideas that would help your students practice meeting the objective of explaining the mystery of the Trinity with symbols. But when he has discovered any of these and is ready to speak, let him not think that he has found that immutable being which is above all these, which is immutably, and knows immutably, and wills immutably. Without these, his words will fall on deaf ears. “He will guide you into all truth.” In fact, I Cor. For I am, and I know, and I will: I am a knowing and a willing being, and I know that I am and that I will, and I will to be and to know. If you are a premium member, you can login and find them here or if you haven’t joined yet, then you can enter your email address here to have them sent to you. Each is distinct from the others but never acts independently. Holy Trinity Catholic School, an apostolate of Holy Trinity Parish, is dedicated to the formation of saints and scholars by partnering with families and challenging our students to pursue knowledge, inspire excellence, and walk with Christ. Let him take heed of himself, and look there, and tell me. The first surviving use of the term (there may have been earlier uses that are … From his famous and classic Confessions, Bk. But the Bible teaches that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit all at the same time. Have them search online for the history and meaning of each symbol. About this video. Holy Trinity Youth Ministry (HTYM) Welcome to HTYM! Thus, the relational distinction is real, and personal, but as far as nature is concerned, Jesus’ words from John 10:30 come to mind: “I and the Father are one,” in that they each possess the same infinite nature. If we take a look at our self, each human is made up of a mind, … 13:14, Heb. Faith Formation provides the catechetical instruction and spiritual formation of children and youth in our parish.Children attending non-Catholic schools in grades K-8 meet on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. from September to May. To introduce the concept of the Trinity, tap into the students prior knowledge of St. Patrick and the shamrock. In order to appreciate Augustine’s words, we must begin with three essential and foundational truths that undergird them. “Spiration” comes from the Latin word for “spirit” or “breath.” Jesus “breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit…” (John 20:22). Does anyone know which saint used this symbol to teach about God? And we can see this is reasonable. This is an intellectual “begetting,” and fittingly so, as a “word” proceeds from the knower while, at the same time remaining in the knower. Shamrock (you can remind the students and use this as a model). Give students copies of the Nicene (or Apostles) Creed. 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