Reflection for Trinity Sunday

Friday 10 June 2022

Does not wisdom call,
and does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
‘To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all that live.

The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.
Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth—
when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil.
When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.

John 16
‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

I once heard Trinity Sunday described as the “Bermuda Triangle for preachers”, where so many lose their way in an attempt to explain the mysterious interaction between The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I learned long ago simply to celebrate the mysterious yet awesome power of The Trinity, rather than try writing a lengthy exegesis on it – after all – God moves in mysterious ways. At risk of being accused a heretic, I would however dare to suggest that the Trinity is incomplete. For the whole thing to work to its full capacity it needs us to join in. In his brilliant sermon at Her Majesty’s Jubilee service, the Archbishop of York said…

“For me, the best leaders – like Paul, like Jesus – are those who know how to be led. People who lead for others, not themselves. People whose heart’s desire is to serve the common good and build up the common life; who don’t try to do it all themselves, or act in their own strength alone; people who take a longer view; and who seek out places of replenishing, even places where they might learn the mind of Christ…. Sometimes people say to me that the Christian faith is just a prop. I couldn’t agree more. I’m not ashamed to say I lean on Jesus Christ, that I’m trying to live close to his heart”.

At that same service, the Prime Minister read Paul’s words from his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4 verse 8…

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Some may question the suitability of the reader for that reading, but I will most certainly never question the wisdom and integrity of our Queen, who has remained faithful to these words throughout her reign. To paraphrase Paul’s words and to summarise all of the above, think about Jesus. This is where I consider the Trinity to be incomplete, it should actually include you and me. When we model our lives around Him, the Spirit comes upon us and the power that created the heavens and the earth is ours to use to His glory. As for the mysteries of the Trinity, I don’t need to know how my CD player works to enjoy the beautiful sounds it makes, I do however need to plug in and switch on!

This Sunday let us celebrate and give thanks for the three persons, the wonderful interaction between them and us, and the unlimited results we can achieve together.

Rev Geoff Eales

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