The Trinity Calls us Deeper into Relationship 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1).  And in the beginning the Creator God spoke and the world came into being as the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2). From the very beginning the Holy Trinity was one God and three Substances. There was no time when the Trinity was a duo or a single entity. God is a relationship, deep and abiding from before time began. And in this relationship that is so fully the essence of God, we are given a vision of the deep need for right relationships at the very center of our own existence.

I love Jeremy Begbie’s musical metaphor to understand the Trinity as it helps us see how the unity and the distinctions of the Trinity are both fully present. He shares that when one plays a chord of three notes, each note is distinctly heard, but that the chord is also fully heard, not as separate parts, but as a whole. (You can hear Begbie speak on this here at 3:00.) The relationships between the notes enhance each note, but do not diminish their distinctness even as they create a new tone as a chord.

And while music may be a better metaphor than a visible representation, many painters have worked to capture the relationship of the Trinity. Trinity by Sandro Botticelli shares the heart of God’s relatedness with himself as we see Christ in the center giving his life as savior of the World; he sacrifices and saves. The Father stands firmly behind him, surrounded by angels and holding up the cross as the maker of all things – he carries the weight as he is fully present and participating.  And the Spirit, depicted as a dove ethereally hovers above Christ’s head and just below the Father—he comes and comforts. This painting is such a beautiful picture of the Trinity as a relationship in this one pivotal moment of time.  

Today, Trinity Sunday, is a moment to pause and remember the mystery of the Trinity and how this mystery invites us into relationship. Twentieth century theologian Jurgen Moltman shares that “thinking in relationships and communities is developed out of the doctrine of the Trinity, and is brought to bear on the relation of men and women to God, to other people and to mankind as a whole, as well as on their fellowship with the whole of creation” (Trinity and the Kingdom, 19).  Trinity Sunday is a moment to celebrate that we have a God who is creator, savior, and comforter. The Trinity invites us into a fullness of being that we cannot find on our own, but only in relationship with the whole of creation under and with our great God, who himself exists in relationship with himself. 

This is truly a mystery and can baffle us. We may instinctively resist what is not easily understandable, but the truth is that in accepting and marveling at this trinitarian relationship, we are building an understanding of not just our relationship with God, but with others and creation. Mystery is not something to be avoided but embraced in relationships. It is in the areas that are not entirely clear that we find meaning and desire. It is in the dance of relationship that we are made whole as we become like God and fully human.

Ideas to Celebrate the Day:

• Prepare for corporate worship on this day by spending time pondering the mystery of the Trinity. Listen to the hymns and sermon at church giving attention to what more they share about the triune God.
• Read the Athanasian Creed – This is longer than the creeds that are read more often, but gives more depth to our understanding of the Trinity.
• Do a quick Google search to look at symbols of the Trinity. How are these helpful?  Where might they fall short in sharing the mystery of the Trinity?  
• Look to see if there are any Trinity symbols in your church. Doodle a few favorites on the bulletin or in a notebook.
•  As a family, talk about where the Trinity is seen in scripture.  (Creation, Abraham’s Visitation, the Baptism of Christ, the great commission, etc.)
• Have Trinity tea with three of something—shamrock or cookies shaped like rainbows, doves, and crosses.