"There are a lot of things that I know, but that I don't understand," a friend said to me one day. "And one of them is the Trinity. How can God be three separate beings and yet remain a single entity? It staggers my mind!"
       "It staggered my mind, also, trying to comprehend how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit--completely different--can be God, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient.
       "It helps to read about Ireland's patron saint. Apparently St. Patrick's students had impressed the same concern. In explanation he plucked a shamrock and said, "The Trinity is like this shamrock." He pointed to its three leaves, each one distinct and separate yet all growing from a single stem.
       "I think of St. Patrick's shamrock whenever I wonder about the Three-In-One. Is simplicity gives me faith to believe in the mysterious complexity of the Trinity--Something I know, but don't understand.

       In a referendum on this date in 1992, the white population of South Africa overwhelmingly endorsed the drafting of a new constitution that would give equal rights to all South Africans, of all races.

       A 50-year defense alliance, known as the Brussels Treaty, was concluded on this date in 1948 by Belgium, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Weeks later the signers expanded the arrangement into the North Atlantic Treaty, which included the United States and Canada.

       St. Patrick's Day is observed on this day by Irish people all over the world to commemorate the death of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland.

       Evacuation Day is observed in Suffolk County, Mass., on this day to commemorate the withdrawal of the British Army from Boston on this date in 1776.

BIRTHDAYS!

1. John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, First Baron Acton, British historian, born Jan. 10, 1834.
2. Ethan Allen, American Revolutionary War hero, born Jan. 10, 1738.
3. Sune K. Bergstrom, Swedish biochemist, Nobel Prizewinner, born Jan. 10, 1916.
4. Katharine Burr Blodgett, U.S. scientist who invented non-reflecting glass, born Jan. 10, 1898.
5. Ray Bolger, U.S. actor, dancer, born Jan. 10, 1904.
6. Francis X. Bushman, U.S. silent-film actor, born Jan. 10, 1883.
7. Philip Joseph Caputo, U.S. writer, born Jan. 10, 1941.
8. Jim Croce, U.S. singer, songwriter, born Jan. 10, 1943.
9. Charles Dean Dixon, U.S. conductor, born Jan. 10, 1915.
10. George Foreman, U.S. boxer, born Jan. 10, 1949.
11. Grock, Swiss clown, born Jan. 10, 1880.
12. Paul Henreid, Italian actor, born Jan. 10, 1908.
13. Barbara Hepworth, British sculptor, born Jan. 10, 1903.
14. David Joel Horowitz, U.S. author, born Jan. 10, 1939.
15. Gustav Husak, Czech communist leader, born Jan. 10, 1913.
16. Frank Mahovlich, Canadian hockey player, born Jan. 10, 1938.
17. Dumas Malone, U.S. author, born Jan. 10, 1892.
18. Sherrill Eustace Milnes, U.S. opera singer, born Jan. 10, 1935.
19. Sal Mineo, U.S. actor, born Jan. 10, 1939.
20. Johnnie Ray, U.S. singer, born Jan. 10, 1927.
21. Marlene Sanders, U.S. broadcast journalist, born Jan. 10, 1931.
22. Rod Stewart, Scottish-born singer, born Jan. 10, 1945.
23. Aleksei Nikolaevich Tolstoi, Russian writer, born Jan. 10, 1882.