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THE SUN: The sun is characterized by three elements.
1. The ball of burning gas is the source of all (like the Father).
2. The light is visible to all (like the Son).
3. The heat is felt, but not seen (like the Holy Spirit or Comforter).
MAN'''Man: ''' It is said that each human has been made in the image of God, and as such each human bears similarities to our Trinitarian Lord and God:(1. ) Man's complete mind and heart (including intellect, creativity, feelings, morality, intuition, etc.) is like the Father.(2. ) Man's flesh, both tangible and a temple of the Holy Spirit, is akin to the Son who became incarnate and was filled with the Spirit.(3. ) Man's life or breath is akin the Holy Spirit.
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==Explanation of the Trinity==
'''What God is WHAT GOD IS ''notNOT'':''' God is ''not'' an impersonal essence nor merely a "higher power." Neither are ''God'' or and ''Trinity'' simple simply names for what would otherwise be seen as three gods (i.e. a term terms which would hide polytheism).
'''Common AnalogiesWHAT GOD ''IS'':''' Though the Trinity is a mystery beyond comprehension, two analogies are often used to help us glimpse what the term ''Trinity'' means. The first is the sun, and the second is man himself. '''The Sun:''' The sun is characterized by three elements.(1) The ball of burning gas is the source of all (like the Father).(2) The light is visible to all (like the Son).(3) The heat is felt, but not seen (like the Holy Spirit or Comforter).
The sun has never been the sun without its light and heat, and the light and heat cannot exist without their source. In addition, while they may co-exist, they do not produce each other in and of themselves. (ex. You can’t read by the light of a heating pad, nor can you count on getting warm wherever it is bright.)
Man (any human) is all three. One cannot be human without all three. There is never a time that man existed without all three. A mind or life cannot exist without a body, and the body does not exist (at least at the start) without a mind and life.
'''In each of these analogies there is a three-ness and one-ness but no polytheism. ''' According to Saint [[Gregory the Theologian]], trying to go further to comprehend ''unbegotten-ness'' (Father), ''begotten-ness'' (Son), or ''procession'' (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity. Therefore the Church traditionally approaches God in divine mystery (and [[apophatic theology|apophatically]]), content to encounter Him rather than comprehend Him (which for it is impossiblefor the created to comprehend the ineffable Creator).
==Image & Likeness distinguished==
It should be noted that while each person human being is in the ''image'' of God, we humans were also created to be in His ''likeness''. This, however, is where the fall is evident; for, ''His likeness'' refers to ''His goodness'', and to be like Him, we a person would need to be good as well. Obviously we all have sinned and fall from this aim. (Lord have mercy!)
==The Trinity Explained in the Creed==