Four brothers left home for college and they became very successful doctors and lawyers and they prospered. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived in a far away city.  

The first said, “I had a beautiful new home built for mom.” The second said, “I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in that house.” The third said, “I had a Mercedes dealer deliver an SL 6000 into her driveway.” The fourth said, “listen to this, guys. You know how mom loved to always read the bible? You know how she can’t read anymore, because she can’t see too well anymore. I met this priest who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire bible chapter by chapter, verse by verse. It took 20 priests 12 years to teach him.  

Now, I had to pledge a $100,000 a year for the next 20 years, but guess what, guys? It was worth every penny. All momma has to do is to recite or name a chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it. The other brothers were incredibly impressed by the fourth brother.  

So after the holidays, mom sent out her thank you note to her sons. She wrote the first, “Milton, the house you built is way, way too big. I only live in one room. I have to clean the whole house anyway. Thanks.” To her second son, “Marvin, I’m way too old to travel. I have groceries delivered. So I never use the Mercedes. The thought was nice. Thanks.”  

To her third son, “Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound. It holds 50 people, but all my friends are dead. I’ve lost my hearing. I’m nearly blind. I’ll never use it, but thanks for the gesture. My dearest, dearest, dearest Melvin, You were the only son to have the good sense to give some thought to your gift. Thank you so very much. The chicken was delicious.” 

[Laughter] 

I like that one. Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Our trying to understand Trinity Sunday can sometimes be as confusing and mistake-filled as the elderly lady who ate the parrot by mistake. Ultimately, the holy trinity is about relationships, the unique relationship between God the father, Jesus the son, and the holy spirit, or their relationship between creator, redeemer, and sanctifier.  

Now through the centuries, theologians have used various images to try to give us a better insight into the holy trinity. St. Patrick used the three leaves of a clover to convey the idea of a trinity, or the trinity. St. Ignatius of Loyola used the example of three notes forming one musical sound. The understanding of the trinity does not lend itself to a simple answer. Yet in life we all seek answers. We like proof. By the trinity, the relationship between father, son, and Holy Spirit is a mystery. In a nutshell, we cannot define the reality of God 

Because God is the ultimate mystery. It’s okay to live in mystery. Our lives are also a mystery. It’s okay not to have all the answers. We may continue to ask for clear answers to complicated problems, but the trinity reminds us that real joy in life is rooted in faith, relationships, love, and service. For life is a mystery to be lived and not a problem to be solved.