Holy Trinity

Celtic Trinity Knot

Too often we underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, a genuine compliment, an act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.  We can reveal  to people the face of God.  

We celebrate the mystery of the triune God:  one God in three, beyond us and yet within us.  The God of this universe became flesh in Jesus of Nazareth and lives in our midst by the power of the Spirit.  Yes, one God in three distinct modes, and so we begin prayer in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The scriptures give us many splendid images of God.  All these images fail to capture fully the inexhaustible reality of God.  A walking companion.  A creator, a worker of signs and wonders and a loving parent.  A God who wants to share true wisdom with us.  

Paul speaks about our new relationship with God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.  

In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus sends us forth to continue his saving work: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit.”  The mystery of the triune God is a God utterly beyond us and yet utterly within us, a God who is one as well as diverse, a God of distinctive relationships.

We are forever trying to find answers.  In moments of crisis, people often ask the most fundamental questions.  Does my life have meaning?  What is my purpose?  Where is my life going?  Does anyone really care?  These are religious questions. As we grow older, we may wonder.  What was my life all about?

Moreover, life seems to have senseless tragedies.  But we also have the occasional experiences that shake us into awe and wonder.  Perhaps it’s the joy of a friendship or the accomplishment of a goal.  Such experiences can lift us out of ourselves.  We begin to experience the transcendent dimension of our own lives.

Yes, we say, there must be an awesome power beyond us: a gracious and compassionate God who can heal.  This God became flesh in Jesus of Nazareth, was crucified, risen and is alive in our midst by the power of the Spirit.   And that is indeed the mystery of the triune God; a God one in three: Father, Son and Spirit.

The triune God empowers us to continue the saving work of Jesus, to reach out with compassion.  And in reaching out, God empowers us to reach up to God.  And just as God revealed his face to us in Jesus of Nazareth, we can reveal the face of God to one another with a smile, a kind word, a compliment and a helping hand.

I love that prayer in the play Godspell: Three things I pray: to see thee more clearly; love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly, day by day.