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The Trinity and the Logos are very difficult to understand, but your ability to have a spiritual life isn't necessarily tied to your intellectual grasp of either idea, although understanding both will give you a solid grasp of Christianity to the point where none of its mainstream or even somewhat intellectual level critiques will bother you or shake your beliefs in either.
Walk before God in simplicity, and not in subtleties of the mind. Simplicity brings faith; but subtle and intricate speculations bring conceit; and conceit brings withdrawal from God. -Saint Isaac of Syria, Directions on Spiritual Training
"It is impossible in human terms to exaggerate the importance of being in a church or chapel before the Blessed Sacrament as often and for as long as our duties and state of life allow. I very seldom repeat what I say. Let me repeat this sentence. It is impossible in human language to exaggerate the importance of being in a chapel or church before the Blessed Sacrament as often and for as long as our duties and state of life allow. That sentence is the talisman of the highest sanctity. "Father John Hardon
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(01-10-2020, 10:10 AM)Augustinian Wrote: There is not a single person on earth or in heaven who "understands" the Trinity, and if anyone claims to they are mistaken. It is one of the ultimate mysteries of the Church. So don't beat yourself up if you don't understand it. You don't have to be a theologian to obtain union with God. Rather, you simply need to grow to love Him. St. Therese was no theologian, yet she obtained a profound union with God and therefore came to an understanding of Him beyond any exertion of the intellect.
I've heard if one understands the Trinity, they are the fourth member of it. :angel:
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I've slowly been working my way through Etienne Gilson's book on the philosophy of St. Bonaventure, and tonight while reading the (very long) chapter on the Angels, the author put forth one of the most illuminating (pun intended) analogies of the Trinity, as follows:
Quote:God is like a resplendent sun; the Father has the power of this light, the Son the splendour, and the Holy Spirit the warmth, and hence comes the triple illumination of the creature. But as the power of the light shines and warms, its splendour possesses power and warmth, and its warmth possesses power and splendour, in the same way we shall be able to contemplate each Person in Himself or in the other two, and from this there will result three illuminations corresponding to the three Persons in Themselves and six corresponding to Their relations to one another, making nine in all, a number which makes us foresee at once that of the angelic orders. To discover their nature, it will be enough to consider the attributes which are appropriate to each Person of the Divine Trinity and to make an angelic order correspond to each.
Rather than go with something abstract such as spiration, generation, and love like St. Augustine, the sun is instead used as an image itself, which I think is an easier way to try to wrap one's head around the Trinity. Maybe this will help the OP too.
"The Heart of Jesus is closer to you when you suffer, than when you are full of joy." - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Put not your trust in princes: In the children of men, in whom there is no salvation. - Ps. 145:2-3
"For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables." - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
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