Image: Community Dance, Paulatuk
Exodus 34.4-6, 8-9 | Daniel 3 | 2 Corinthians 13.11-13 | John 3.16-18
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. The Trinity of God is a theological concept that helps us describe who God is and the relationship in God between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is important to us because, ultimately it reveals a great deal about God’s relationship to us and how we are called to relate to one another.
Our readings today have nothing explicit to say about the Trinity, but they do talk about our relationship with God.
In the first reading from the book of Exodus we see Moses on the mountaintop having a conversation with God and is about to receive, from God, the Ten Commandments which will be chiseled into the tablets of stone for the second time. Twice, because the first time they were broken by Moses when he came down the mountain to find the people worshiping a calf made of gold. God was so angry that, after all He had done for them, the Israelites would have turned their backs so quickly. He wanted to destroy the people but Moses reminded God of His promise to them and of his love for them. God forgave them and reconciled with them establishing a new covenant .
The Ten Commandments, that God gave to Moses, were more than just a set of rules that ought to be followed. They symbolized the establishment of a new type of relationship between God and the people of Israel, one which joined the once scattered tribes, with God and with one another.
This covenant was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. This perfect love of God is highlighted in the Gospel in that most famous passage, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. The love of God became flesh and poured out blood for us so that we might become a part of that mystery of God and share eternal life with Him.
One of the ways we can talk about the Trinity of God is to think of it as a dance.
There are few things more beautiful to watch than a newlywed bride and groom as they enter the reception hall hand in hand to have their first dance as a married couple. Even though the wedding ceremony highlighted the union of two people, this man with this woman, those who are watching the dance cannot help but feel drawn into that union as we see them glide effortlessly together. The smiles on their faces spread throughout the room as we are infected by their joy in being together as husband and wife.
The relationship in God between these three persons in God, Father, Son and Spirit is like that dance, a fluid and beautiful action which appears to be seamless. When a dance is done well it is hard to tell where one dancer stops and the other one begins. Like being at the first dance of the newlyweds, we are drawn into this experience of the divine. We are not just left on the sidelines as wallflowers but God invites us into this holy union. We revel in the Father’s creation, we experience the healing gift forgiveness offered by Jesus, the Son and the Holy spirit fills us with the gift of Wisdom and Courage and Understanding.
The love of God into which we are drawn spills over into all that we do. In Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds the community that as God has loved us so we should love one another. If we can do that we can be assured that God is with us and others will see God’s love in us.
