Trinity Sunday - Rector's Rambling for May 31, 2015

Last week we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, better known to traditional Anglicans as Whitsunday.  On that day we celebrated the outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples to empower them for ministry. 

We had a large congregation last week because it was also our Tiger Baseball Outing Sunday.  With all the guests and occasional visitors present I quipped in my sermon that they were hearing about the third person of the Holy Trinity but that if they came back today I would be explain everything about the Holy Trinity in today’s sermon.

Those ‘in the know’ laughed at my glib comment, meant as both and enticement and a joke as well, because NOBODY can explain the entire mystery, or even close to all of it, in 15 hours, no less 15 minutes.  And I would venture to state that even with 15 hours or more one would not be able to fully explain that mystery, because in the end, it is a mystery.

In my last parish near Pittsburgh I became friends with the Russian Orthodox priest in town.  We spoke frequently about ministry and theology.  And I remember that at one time we had quite the discussion about God the Holy Trinity (and not just the problem of the absence of the filioque clause in the Nicene Creed in the Eastern churches - that is a topic for another day’s Rambling).  In the end I think that he had the more profound statement.  Rather than arguing the Trinity, he found it more advantageous to “worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity…” (from the Athanasian Creed).  And he was right! 

God willing, I will preach today and inform rather and confuse. But more importantly let us Worship God in Trinity that He may be gloried now and forever!  Amen.