The angel boy (or Child Jesus?!) and Saint Augustine: a conversation on the beach about the Holy Trinity

I remember watching a well-known program of debates on Brazilian television many years ago. On the agenda for the day: Jesus Christ. I think it was close to Easter (I don't remember exactly), so due to the Christian holiday they looked for the "topic of the moment" to discuss. 

Amid the historical and theological arguments about Jesus, the most experienced journalist in the group of debaters tried to understand how the Holy Trinity could exist (but not trying to refute it, he had real good intentions): "But how can it be? How can Three (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) be just One?!" Insisted the fearless and restless journalist. Already a little embarrassed by the senselessness of the question, the program anchor calls a break. 

Returning live, a theologian invited to the debate tries to end the impossible discussion by drawing his attention in a friendly way: "My dear, you want to unravel in a matter of minutes the greatest mystery known to humanity: the Holy Trinity. If we had the ability to understand this mystery, it would no longer be such a mystery, why! That's why it's a mystery, and the greatest of all!" 

But don't think that this doubt only arose in lay minds, no! Saint Augustine , one of the greatest doctors of the church, author of several renowned works that are still used today as bases for Catholic studies, also had this dilemma about the Holy Trinity. 

It was the year 415. During this period, Saint Augustine had been reflecting, within his deepest knowledge, on the Holy Trinity to compose his studies and finalize the writing of one of his greatest works: De Trinitate. 

After a day of hard work, completely exhausted in his inner deliberations, he decided to walk along the beach ... But he gave no respite and continued his mental locutions about the Holy Trinity, asking: "But being Father, Son and Holy Spirit only One God , how are Your conversations? How can Three be just One?". 

This, among several other questions that he pondered in his mind, reached the highest heavens, even God himself, who decided to give him an answer in an unusual way. 

While walking on the beach, Agostinho saw a boy in the distance and noticed that he was running quickly from one side to the other without pausing. He seemed very determined. He got closer and became even more intrigued, as he noticed that the child was taking a small amount of sea water with a shell and running to throw it in a hole in the sand... He did this route repeatedly, as the hole always emptied when the water it was thrown into it as it descended through the sand at its bottom.

                                                       ^{Source: imagensbonitas.com.br}

Fascinated by the boy's naivety, the saint asked: 

Saint Augustine: What are you doing? Boy: I'm going to put all the sea water in this hole! The saint gently looks at the sea, stretches his arms over the vastness of the waters and informs the child of his understanding, which seemed very obvious to him. Saint Augustine: This is impossible, boy. How could you want to put all that immensity of seawater in this small hole? At this moment, the boy (an angel or Child Jesus?!) looks at him seriously and responds in a strong tone. Boy: Truly, I tell you: it is easier to put all the water of the ocean in this small hole in the sand than for human intelligence to understand the mysteries of the Holy Trinity! 

Then the boy disappears. Saint Augustine immediately understood that it was God's answer to his profound reflections on the Holy Trinity: neither he nor anyone else, as simple humans, would ever unravel this infinite mystery!

_{References: Rádio Comunidade FM, Saint Bernadette Catholic Church, Church of Saint Michael, Canção Nova, Imagens Bonitas}