On Father Simon Says, a listener named Neil writes in about the Trinity, sharing a preacher’s clever line: as water can be solid, liquid, or gas, so one God can be three Persons. Fr. Richard Simon isn’t convinced. He says that image sounds like Sabellianism, the old idea that God is one divine substance who simply shows up in different “modes” as Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.

The problem, he explains, is that this makes the Trinity feel like costume changes instead of three persons in one, true, all-powerful God. In Sabellianism, there are no enduring divine Persons — only one God who seems to switch between Father, Son, and Spirit. But Fr. Simon insists that God is a genuine Trinity: three distinct Persons in one God, equal in divinity yet truly distinct. The Father loves the Son infinitely, the Son loves the Father infinitely, and that love is the Holy Spirit.

That’s why he links the filioque, the belief that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, to the perfect equality and unity within the Trinity. If the Spirit proceeded only from the Father or only from the Son, he argues, that relationship would be uneven. Instead, even when Jesus walked the earth, He was in constant dialogue with the Father and breathed the Holy Spirit on the disciples. “This is not an easy thing for us to understand,” he admits, yet it flows from one claim: God is love, and real love means real Persons.

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On Father Simon Says, a listener named Neil writes in about the Trinity, sharing a preacher&rsquo;s clever line: as water can be solid, liquid, or gas, so one God can be three Persons. Fr. Richard Simon isn&rsquo;t convinced. He says that image sounds like Sabellianism, the old idea that God is one divine substance who simply shows up in different &ldquo;modes&rdquo; as Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.
The problem, he explains, is that this makes the Trinity feel like costume changes instead of three persons in one, true, all-powerful God. In Sabellianism, there are no enduring divine Persons &mdash; only one God who seems to switch between Father, Son, and Spirit. But Fr. Simon insists that God is a genuine Trinity: three distinct Persons in one God, equal in divinity yet truly distinct. The Father loves the Son infinitely, the Son loves the Father infinitely, and that love is the Holy Spirit.
That&rsquo;s why he links the filioque, the belief that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, to the perfect equality and unity within the Trinity. If the Spirit proceeded only from the Father or only from the Son, he argues, that relationship would be uneven. Instead, even when Jesus walked the earth, He was in constant dialogue with the Father and breathed the Holy Spirit on the disciples. &ldquo;This is not an easy thing for us to understand,&rdquo; he admits, yet it flows from one claim: God is love, and real love means real Persons.
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The best way to listen to the&nbsp;Best of the Week&nbsp;is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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