Trinitarian Blessings Dear Church!

We come into a weekend on the liturgical calendar that is rather difficult to give a definition for. It’s one of the true quandaries of the Christian faith; that we confess and believe in a trinitarian God. It is darn near impossible to provide a definition for it yet at the same time, the Trinity is still something that we are able to know.

The trinity is one of the beautiful mysteries of faith that we have. It took me a while to be realize that mystery was just that; something beautiful. Before, if there was an unknown, I would have to get to the bottom of it, solve it, find the answer. I’d be restless until all was completed. But the trinity isn’t a math problem, it isn’t something to be solved.

I’ve been trying to reconcile similar feelings this week too. There has been such a great deal to process that it is understandably overwhelming. I can understand if it feels downright mysterious as to how we might even begin to solve the sorts of things that lay ahead of us. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I know where to begin.

But here are some things that I do believe, and that I do know. I know that I strive to follow our Trinitarian God, and walk in Christ’s footsteps; I strive to be loving, inclusive and specific, yet I know that it has not been enough too. Especially when I have stayed too quiet. I repent of my action and inaction; both of which are ways I have contributed to the systems and structures that hurt and harm others. And still, that leaves us with this large looming question. What then do we do? I think it’s an answer that I’ve had echoing in my head for a while, and its one that I heard again this morning in a podcast (From Brené Brown’s Unlocking Us Podcast) as I rode my bike: ‘the right thing.’

What is doing the right thing? Well, a bit like the Trinity that we celebrate, it’s kind of mysterious too as its sort of different for everybody, yet we know it too. We know that the solutions to problems that are being cried out for, seem overwhelmingly daunting. If I try to focus on finding that golden ticket, unicorn sort of right thing solution that will solve it all in one fell swoop, then yeah, I fall right back into that pit of despair.

The trick, then is focusing not so much on the overall outcome, but upon doing the next right thing that I can do. Who next can I listen too? How might my own community be in need and how can I serve? These seem like small questions, that don’t lead to anything. Except that they lead us all to try and work as best as we can from one day to the next. And that’s pretty hopeful, that’s pretty powerful. Because if I only pinned my hopes to the overall cure and just waited for it to appear, I’d be doing nothing but waiting.

Because even though it can feel like it, I don’t think what we’re seeing is the tearing down of the fabric of society, but the opening up of society. It and we are being opened up and are once again being made new. Being made new to the possibilities of relationship, compassion. It’s no doubt that this transformation is a difficult one. But, dear church, I can feel that it is worth it.

As we will hear in the last verses of our gospel text this Sunday, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” I don’t take this to mean that Christ is with me, as in ‘on my side’, but that Christ is always all around with me. I think that my right things, as I go day by day, listening, growing learning, and seeking new relationship will be to ask, how am I hearing Christ anew today? Let us join together in doing these right things. I leave you today with my favorite trinitarian greeting and blessing. May you be blessed by it today.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you,

Pastor Dave