Collaboration of the Trinity

Steve Bell writes in his book about Ordinary Time from his Pilgrim Year series that he feels that Trinity Sunday should be the highest of Christian holidays, the most important Sunday on the calendar. I’m not sure that many would jump on that bandwagon with him, but I do think its significance is often down-played.

The biblical stories where all three persons of the Trinity are mentioned are important, perhaps most important being Jesus’ baptism. Jesus willingly undertakes this ritual despite having nothing to repent of, and the Holy Spirit comes down as a dove and God’s voice is heard saying “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased”. We also find the Trinity at Pentecost as Peter boldly shares his faith and talks about how the triune God is present in the lead up to this momentous day. The three persons of the Trinity have existed since before the world began, and throughout history each has had its time to shine and be centre stage. There is an intricate dance going on, of each offering love and affirmation and allowing the others to do what they do best and to reveal the diversity of God’s nature.

A reflection by Rev. Jill Duffield in the Presbyterian Outlook’s weekly e-mail on the lectionary readings for last week really challenged me. She talked about the amazing, collaborative nature of God, whose many facets and gifts are lavished on us and how the three persons of the Trinity bless each other and us. She asks many questions, including these: Whose vision of the world are we following? How do we reflect the character of our generous, collaborative, accommodating, steadfast, creative God? Are we proclaiming the Spirit-given truth or are we parroting cultural platitudes? Where do we see communities embodying our God and what can we learn from them? How are we master builders beside God?

I love these questions. As I watched the victory parade for the Raptors on Monday, despite knowing little about the NBA, I quickly became drawn in. Because of the enormous crowds lining the streets, the parade moved at a snail’s pace at times and was delayed an hour before it even started. The joy was palpable, the ability for all ages and races to celebrate together awe-inspiring, the positive intentions of all including government leaders of different political stripes good to see. There was the team who have worked so hard together and its coaches, and a back and forth with the crowds with thanks and admiration from fans to players and from players to fans. It was a beautiful dance and hopeful and wonderfully celebratory, even down to the Raptors’ “super fan” being the parade marshal, a man who has sponsored tickets for under-privileged children to attend games and who has been a constant supporter of the team. I saw a secular version of some of what Duffield was writing about.

The church should be as celebratory and barrier-free a place as that parade. It should be a place where the full diversity of humanity is present, and where God’s generosity, inclusion, collaboration and truth are on full display and honoured. Too often we seem to be known for what we are against rather than what we are for, for who we exclude rather than how we can include, for not playing well with others rather than healing divisions between brothers and sisters in our churches, across congregation and across denominations. There are many ways that we collaborate with others, but we need to continue to identify the value in working together and benefiting from each others’ best gifts, holding each other up and encouraging each other.

Trinity Sunday is important and sets up the season of Ordinary Time. It hands us the keys to God’s kingdom as we receive the knowledge of God being our loving Parent and Creator, of Christ being the one who makes us right with God, and of the Spirit sent to guide and support us as we seek to emulate our triune God. We’ve received Christ’s teaching, we’ve been called beloved by God, and we’ve been equipped with the Spirit. We now, like the apostles in Acts, are sent out to live it.

This excites me rather than overwhelming me. I am reminded that we are all joined together as Christians because of the nature of our God. We all have a place, we all have a role to fill, and when we dance together beautiful things can happen.

May we feel bold enough to trust in the model God has provided for us as we live and worship and serve together, showing others the very face of God.