THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
Second Corinthians 13:11-13
John 3:16-18
It probably sounds presumptuous and who am I to quibble? Sometimes, I find myself wishing that the compliers of the lectionary had left readings intact. Gems seem to be left out for brevity’s sake. Today’s first reading is a case in point. What a magnificent moment! God comes to Moses on Mount Sinai and a courtship dance ensues as God reveals himself to Moses, proclaiming his name Lord (Yahweh) to Moses. The scene is reminiscent of their first encounter at the Burning Bush when Moses asked the Presence for a name to pass on to Pharaoh. Tell Pharaoh “I AM” sent you. And Moses knew to know the name is to know the essence of the being. I AM translated Yahweh becomes a name so holy that the Hebrews will not pronounce it and will use Adonai?.em> instead.
Now God, coming out of a cloud and dancing before Moses, gives his own commentary on the meaning of Yahweh. The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity. It’s the continuation of that line that I wish the Lectionary editors had left in. The Lord continues his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgives wickedness and crime and sin. Of course I have to admit that I don’t mind that the final phrase is left out – yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness. Somehow, I think that is hyperbole rushing out of the emotion of the moment. God’s dominant attitude toward creatures is forgiveness. What’s left over after wickedness, crime and sin have been forgiven, anyway?
We celebrate The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity this weekend. It has always seemed a strange Feast since every Sunday and everything we do as believers centers in our shared life in the Trinity. Be that as it may, the Readings this Sunday give us an opportunity to focus on the Mystery and remember.
What ought we to hear? First, we ought to hear that this faith of ours is a result of God’s reaching out and embracing us. We were sought as God pleads with us to let God be our God so that we can be God’s people. This didn’t happen because of anything we did or did not do. This is not something that we earn. This is grace, pure and simple. I say that just in case there is a temptation to get swelled headed because you believe. Paul took care of that temptation once and for all when he challenged Christians to remember that no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. In other words, God empowers everything we do and everything we believe as followers of Jesus Christ.
We celebrate Trinity Sunday today. Not all people who believe in God believe in the Triune God. Our celebration of this feast reminds us of some particular implications of our belief and all of them are relational. If we believe in God as Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, then we believe that God calls us to enter and live in that community of Love we call God. In our Baptism, we are given a new life, having died to the old one, and given a new identity – a union with Jesus that results in our being the beloved of God, sharing in God’s life. Never tire of thinking about that and pondering the mystery and wonder. Remember what John said? Beloved, we are God’s children now. What shall become remains to be seen. All this now and Heaven still to come!
But relationship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is not the only implication of God’s reaching into our life. The other relationship is with each other. Paul says, Rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. In a nutshell, Paul tells us what it means to be Church. We are a people on a journey together. United in the one God we are united with one another. When we gather for Eucharist, we stand in awe at the Presence, The Body of Christ in the Bread. We ought not to forget another presence, The Body of Christ gathered to celebrate that Eucharist. Again, Paul, in another place in writing to the Corinthians, reminds us that the body though many in parts is one body. Division in the community we call Church is a scandal that denies that unity. Shunning individuals, even sinners, in the community is a scandal. Unless the proclamation that goes out from us gathered in worship is All are welcome here we are not living the reality. This faith life is not something we hoard. It is something we live to share.
Remember Eleanor of Aquitaine’s famous line in The Lion in Winter? At a moment of obvious tension and anger among them, she says, Every family has its ups and downs. But ups and downs not withstanding, the family remains. And if we believe that we truly are journeying together on The Way, than we must support and encourage each other along the way. There is no lording over anyone. The only attitude we share is one of service. There is no judging. The example we live in love is the call to conversion should someone need to mend his/her ways. And contrary to Thomas Wolfe’s title You Can’t Go Home Again, return and reconciliation are always causes for great rejoicing.
In the end, it is about love. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. That’s what Jesus proclaims this Sunday, too. Everyone – notice. We mustn’t be stingy with God’s grace. It washes over us in the same abundance as does Christ’s blood in which we are redeemed. And if we recognize that and experience the profound sense of awe and gratitude that ought to result, then the Eucharist we celebrate as the source and summit of all we do as believers ought to empower us to live our Baptismal Priesthood that translates into lives of loving service, loving each other as Christ has loved us.
Is there anyone you have left out of the circle for a while, anyone to whom you are content not to be speaking? Live what you celebrate this weekend and reach out, reconcile, and welcome home. Live the reality of One Bread, One Body, One Lord of all. Who knows, maybe there is someone who feels estranged from you who will want to reach out and welcome you back home again.
Sincerely,
Didymus
