Trinity Sunday What’s your favorite way of talking about the Trinity? Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer? Have you ever tried to explain the Trinity? Or even to understand it? God is one and yet we’ve got these three, what? So what is God? Maybe God is a shape-shifter, one minute holy parent, another holy child, another holy spirit. “God in three persons.” Talking about the Trinity is not easy! The greatest mystery of this feast is not how God can be Three-in-One, but why does this God choose to be intimately present to us. Perhaps the mystery is that the triune community of the Trinity wishes to dwell within the community of humanity! Living and dying the Paschal Mystery means that we are faithful witnesses to the God within. So what do we have to be for one another? The love of God poured out, the truth that guides. This is the glory of God revealed within and among us.
Being the Face of Christ There is a legend which recounts the return of Jesus to glory after his time on earth. He bore the marks of his cruel cross and shameful death. The angel Gabriel approached him and asked, “Master, do they know all about how you loved them and what you did for them?” “No,” replied Jesus, “not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know.” Gabriel was perplexed. “Then what have you done to let everyone know about your love for them?” Jesus said, “I’ve asked Peter, James, John, Mary, Martha and a few others to tell people about me. Those who are told will tell others, and my story will be spread throughout the earth. Ultimately, all humankind will know about my love.” Gabriel frowned and looked rather skeptical. He well knew what poor stuff humans were made of. He said, “But what if Peter denies you again? What if they all run away again in the face of opposition? What if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down in the twenty-first century people just don’t tell others about you? Do you have another plan?” Jesus answered, “No. I’m counting on them.” It is centuries later and God still has no other plan. In our gospel, Jesus describes for us an intimate and inexplicable relationship which calls us to be in communion with one another. As members of a community, we are called to attend to those beyond ourselves. We are called to be the face of Christ for each other.