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As written and delivered by our seminarian, Katherine Brick:
Beloved people, in whom the Creator is well pleased, grace to you, and peace.
Here on this Holy Trinity Sunday, think with me, imagine with me. What do you see in your mind’s eye when you think about the Trinity? Really, think about it . . . about light, space, shape, color, order, relationship. Who is this Trinity?
I had a major shift recently in my image of the Trinity, and one piece of that was realizing what I’d been holding as an image before . . . an old image, not mine alone . . . of:
Father
Son
Spirit
maybe in order of historical appearance, or power, or importance
And then of course people . . .dust/lowly
Some of you remember the prayer before communion from the old red Book of Worship:
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies: We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table; but thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy.
What posture would one assume to pray that prayer? Hands, head, eyes, spine, spirit . . it was not like this. (hands up, head up) Do you see how your own theology informs practice of your faith? I’m not saying that’s never a right and useful view or posture … BUT … there can be others.
One author I read in my most recent class is Sally McFague. She wrote that all names for God are metaphors. Those names are not God, but descriptions of what God is like in some way. And all metaphors for God are incomplete. She went on to invite us to use the creative imaginations God has given us to imagine even more and new metaphors for God … for each person of the Trinity … than those carried forward to us by our mothers and fathers of faith in our Creeds and liturgies and prayers and other works, as useful as those have been and continue to be in holding fast and firm the faith. They are incomplete, and if rigidly exclusively excludingly are held as the only images, can become idols … that which we make to replace God. It’s not a matter of discarding those, but a matter of adding to, expanding what we can imagine God to be.
McFague spent half her book describing her metaphors for the Three as Mother/Lover/Friend. Another theologian Daniel L. Migliore, used the metaphors of Creator Provider /Redeemer/ Sanctifier. Julian of Norwich called Jesus our mother/ brother/ savior. In last Sunday’s statements of faith, our youth affirming their baptisms expanded our understanding with their many metaphors---including football coach/quarterback/ball, creator evolutionist, shepherd, soul restorer, social egalitarian. In our scripture readings last week we heard the Holy Spirit described as the rush of a violent wind and divided tongues as of fire who was the bringer of visions and dreams. Who came as an Advocate and Spirit of truth. Today’s reading from John’s gospel also speaks of the Spirit of truth. In today’s Psalm 8 we hear of Lord our Sovereign, and in the 8th Proverb we hear that Wisdom was there in the beginning, too. Today’s hymns bring us yet other names. And today we are using the New Zealand Lord’s Prayer that will show us even others. So many metaphors, so many names for God!!
There is a Greek word, perichoresis, that caught my attention. Much of this idea about the three persons of the trinity comes from the Eastern Orthodox theologians, and particularly from John of Damascus in about the 8th century CE. He used words like ‘mutual indwelling’ and ‘being-in-one-another.’ He wrote that the three of the Trinity ‘indwell’ and pervade each other, they ‘encircle’ each other, being united in an exquisite divine dance. They ‘make room’ for each other, are incomparably hospitable to each other.
When I read these words, I literally stopped and was filled with a rush of joy---it was an image I had been waiting for, searching to find. The 3 persons of God---there from the beginning---in relationship with each other, making room for each other, showing incomparable hospitality to each other---overflowing, so much so that they co-created this creation to have company, invite us in, invite us in to the divine dance!! This image showed up in class paper I wrote, in which I was moved by the Spirit to write this:
In the beginning…well maybe even before the beginning, maybe even way over on/preceding the backward directional time-line of eternity…good thing it’s not my job to figure that out!! Anyway, right around the beginning, Creator/Redeemer/Sustainer was hanging out, mutually indwelling, being-in-one-another, intertwining, divinely dancing, enjoying good times. Fellowship, companionship, love, community, communion, relationship were abounding, and of course much more, beyond my capacity to imagine, though not for lack of trying, nor for lack of permission to make the attempt. (McFague throughout) Anyway, so Mother/Lover/Friend (McFague, 91-180) were enjoying their ultra-ecclesia, and the idea came up about having scads of folks over to share the love and joy with Mother/Child/Wind. But wait…there wasn’t anyone to invite over. Well, it was decided that something would be done about that. So in a whirlwind of creative brainstorming and Word speaking, an entire cosmos emerged…stars, heavens, earth, plants, animals above the earth, on the dry land, in the waters, humans quickened with the breath of God and made in God’s image, you name it, it appeared, and then, as it happened Adam did get to name it. Or just maybe Adam and Eve companionably named them. And since Creator Provider/Redeemer/Sanctifier (Migliore, 133-135) had built into these human beings a free will, this is where things got a bit dicey.
Well, there begins the sermon for another day. But I am so captured by this vision of God, all three persons of God, say, “Come on in!! Have we got a place for you!! We were so hoping you’d come. That’s what we created you for. Come sit a spell, have a chat, get a hug, be reminded you are a child of God. Be here in relationship to us and to each other, to all the creation. Come and dance this dance of life! Bring your friends, bring everyone!! All are welcome in this place!” Incomparable hospitality!
I understand hospitality. I know how to open my door to friend and stranger, invite them in, make them at home, and I know how important it is to do so. My eldest son Jason said he learned from us to say yes first and then figure out the logistics. He took that lesson into his own life. We came home one New Year’s Eve to an unexpected sight of wall-to-wall armpit-to-armpit college friends he had spontaneously invited home for the night. We helped the economy of the local Seven Eleven store the next morning, tromping there through the snow and laying in supplies to fill up this herd with French toast.
I have welcomed and been welcomed, and have also not been welcomed. One experience that was formative for me happened on my first day for fourth grade. I was entering a new school because we had moved across town in Bend, Oregon. I am not sure why my mother chose not to go with me that day. Maybe she thought my sister would see to me, but as it happened my sister on that day tended to herself, I think pretending she was an only child. At any rate, I managed to find each fourth grade room. There was a list on the wall by each door with the names of students who belonged in each class. My name was on none of them. I remember standing in the bustling hall without a clue as to what to do, trying to come up with options as the clock ticked inexorably toward the bell. A woman, who appeared to me to be at least 100 years old and had a distinctly blue tint to her hair, stepped out of one room and asked if she could help me. I explained my dilemma, and she said, “Well, come right in here. I have a desk all ready for you.” That is incomparable hospitality. She was God’s own grace for me at that moment.
I have a growing image of God’s family room, that space of incomparable hospitality, where I, as every one, can be myself without masks, where we can come, broken as we are, and will be formed into the angels of our better selves just because we are there. God’s family room is that place where we can rest, talk, rant, listen, dance, be---each of these a form of prayer, of relationship with the Holy Trinity of many names. We can be strengthened and healed to be in community and relationship with the whole creation.
So this I say:
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Oh, but there’s more!
I believe in Yahweh, Abba, Emma, Creator, Midwife, Eagle, Laundress-washing-with-fuller’s-soap, Life-giver, Nursing Mother, Ancient of Days, She-who-is, Coach, She-who-gave-you-birth, Wisdom, Sustainer.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord---Oh, but there’s more!
I believe in the Lord, Brother, the Way, Incarnate Word, Sacrificer, Friend, Savior, Bread-of-life, Pain-bearer, I AM, Door, Wisdom, Anointer-with-oil, Quarterback, Teacher, Shepherd, Hen-gathering-her-chicks, Vine, Table-turner, Redeemer, First-born, Cornerstone.
I believe in the Holy Spirit---Oh, but there’s more.
I believe in the Advocate, Spirit-of-grace, Dove, Bringer-of-visions-and-dreams, Comforter, Baptizer, Spirit-of-truth, Sanctifier, Tongue-of-flame, Wisdom, Blows-where-she-wills, Spirit-of-power.
If my metaphors for the Holy Trinity don’t work for you, feel free to create your own, or to reclaim the more traditional metaphors of our past and practice. I’m sure my metaphors will change and grow. Sally McFague says of her own metaphors, “Perhaps the imaginative picture that has been painted provides a habitable house in which to live for a while, with doors open and windows ajar, and with the promise that additions and renovations are desired and needed.” I invite you to keep your doors open and windows ajar.
In the meantime, by all means, come. Come join the dance!
-- Seminarian, Katherine Brick |
