Father Jim McKeon discusses the difference between a thought and a prayer. He explains that while thoughts stay within ourselves, prayers are directed towards someone else, requiring an address like a letter or email. Prayers are oriented towards someone beyond ourselves, such as God, and as Catholics, they often begin with the sign of the cross, addressing the prayer to the entirety of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Father Jim highlights the uniqueness of the Trinity in Catholicism and acknowledges that other monotheistic religions, like Judaism and Islam, share beliefs in God's tenderness and compassion. However, the concept of the Trinity is a point of disagreement, as Catholics believe in the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—sharing the same divine nature.
He emphasizes that the Trinity is a mystery beyond human comprehension and that words are inadequate to fully explain it. Yet, directing prayers to the Trinity brings a sense of completeness. The Trinity is seen as a relational model, reflecting love, self-giving, and receptivity among the persons of the Trinity, which also becomes a model for human relationships.
Father Jim encourages people to be conscious of the Trinitarian structure of prayers, such as the Creed, the invocation of the Trinity at the beginning of Mass, and the final blessing that invokes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On Trinity Sunday, he invites listeners to deepen their understanding of the Trinity and its connection to human relationships.
