Sermon for Trinity Sunday (Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15)
Originally given 12 June 2022 at St. Alban’s Church, Coventry
Today the Western Christian Church celebrates Trinity Sunday. Perhaps foolishly, I actually requested to preach today, because I am fascinated by the trinity, and I find that I’m constantly discovering new ways of exploring it. On this Sunday, we celebrate the mystery of our triune God. It truly is a mystery, inexplicable for the human experience, because there is no other thing on this earth that is exactly the same. Though some people use examples of water, ice, and steam, or a single cloth that can be folded into three, that still doesn’t quite grasp the state of being always as one and always as three, (and those examples are actually heretical). God is both one and three persons. We can’t actually explain it through analogies and metaphors. One could say it is ineffable.
Traditionally the three distinct persons of the Holy Trinity are described as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But there are various other descriptors, such as Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, which could be said to assign each person of the trinity one aspect of God. Jim Cotter suggests Earth-maker, Pain-Bearer, Life-giver. This could be translated as the same idea as the previous one, but perhaps with more understandable language. There is also the alternative of using non-human words such as Breath, Pulse, Power. For me, my personal understanding of the Trinity is Grandmother, Lover, Muse, because that is how I understand my multifaceted relationship with God. That works for me now on my faith journey, but it was different ten years ago, and it will likely change again. Our relationship with God is constantly evolving and developing. But I think it’s vital to come to your own understanding of how you relate to the Trinity, because it is both holy and personal. In order for Christians to grow in our understanding of our Triune God, we need to personally connect, to create a relationship. Because the root of the Trinity is relationship and the root of God, in all Her persons, is love.
Talking about the relationship of the trinity brings to mind one of my favourite words I picked up while in Theological College – perichoresis. It’s not just that I love to say the word perichoresis, but I also love the concept that it illustrates. Perichoresis refers to the trinitarian relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (or Grandmother, Lover, Muse for my palate). This holy relationship is a loving dance of mutuality. It is free of hierarchy or patriarchy. It is holy and spiritual and sensual and pure. It is a relationship of give and take, rooted in love. Fulfilling each other, embracing each other, submitting to each other. And this is another reminder of how impossible the trinity is to describe in human words, because human relationships traditionally have a hierarchy within them. Sometimes this is unconscious. As a feminist I am very aware of hierarchical gender roles and do my best to challenge them. Nevertheless, there is always an imbalance of some kind, and so humans are unable to attain the perfection of the Holy Trinity.
That being said, the relationship of the trinity is foundational to my understanding of how human relationships can strive to become holy. It is not a question of sexuality or gender, but a promise based in love. A promise to love, respect, and submit to one another, but in a holy submission. This holy submission is not about one person being inferior or superior to another, but rather both people loving each other as they love themselves. Filling in the gaps of the other person. Lifting each other up to help each other be the best version of themselves. And it doesn’t have to be exclusive to marriages or intimate relationships, friendships would benefit from this as well. Where there is love of any kind between two people, God is there.
In the Christian faith, love is always the answer. Jesus, God incarnate, became a poor and fragile human being, not to show weakness, but to show love. Mary served Jesus, washing his feet with expensive perfume, not to become inferior, but to show love. Mary, the mother of God, glorified being the servant of God, not because of submission, but because of love. Time and again, throughout the Gospels, the stories told reflect love. Within human relationships, love is shown in the mutuality, the give and take between the people involved.
Both of our readings today say that we are all filled with the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel reading, Jesus promises us that the Holy Spirit will give us knowledge of God. The Romans reading says our hearts are filled with God’s love through the Holy Spirit. Last week at Pentecost we were reminded that God is always with us, filling us with the guidance, comfort, and help of the Holy Spirit. Since we are all filled with the Holy Spirit, perhaps we can come even closer to the perfection of the Holy Trinity in our relationships. Because when God is at the centre, two people become a trinity.
So I encourage you to pray for God to come into your relationships. Especially for relationships that have become difficult or painful, pray for the love of God to be a balm and bring you to a healthy place with that person, even if that means keeping a distance. But also for those relationships that are joyful and life-giving, the love of God can further enhance your bond. Although we all fall short of perfection, we can still pray to come closer to the perfection of our triune God: Our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.
Reflections of a Christian 