Why Bother?

Homily – May 31, 2015 (The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity - B)
Readings: Deuteronomy 4: 32-34, 39-40; Ps. 33: 4-5, 6,9, 18-19, 20,22; Romans 8: 14-17; Matthew 28: 16-20

Welcome to Ordinary Time, and one of its three major Sunday Solemnities. Today is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, and next Sunday is the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, also know as Corpus Christi. The other major Feast comes at the end of this ordinary cycle in the liturgical calendar, and that is Solemnity of Christ the King in late November. So Ordinary Time has two significant “bookends” if you will. On one end is the mystery of God in the Trinity and the mystery of faith that is the Body and Blood of our Lord, while on the other end is the surety of Christ’s promise as He intercedes for us as the King of kings! Now, I’ve said this before, the time that lies between now and then is anything by ordinary. In fact, the term “Ordinary” in Ordinary Time does not mean ordinary as in predictable, or “ho-hum”. No, the word’s root is the Latin “Ordo” or “Ordin” meaning, you guessed it, “order”. So between now and late November, our liturgy invites us to walk together as church with a purpose, celebrating the mystery of Christ not in one specific aspect but in all its aspects. The readings during the liturgies of Ordinary Time help to instruct us on how to live out our Christian faith in our daily lives, guiding us along this purposeful journey of ours!

The Church defines the Trinity as the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself, and therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. Never the less, they are hidden in God, and can never be known unless they are revealed by God. It’s a mystery, and we’ll never know all the answers… So why bother? I'll tell you why... It’s called LIFE, and in this life we are called to trust, and hope, and believe, especially at times when there are no answers! In this life we are called to journey, to learn, to know, and maybe someday, even understand. But for me to give you a definitive answer here and now, or an image of the Trinity can only result in me missing something, or as they say, defining the Trinity can only end in heresy. Here are some examples of some well intended explanations that don't quite hit the mark: The doctrine of the Trinity is like an egg: three parts, one thing, or like water: three forms (ice, steam, and liquid) same substance. But my favorite is the Trinity is like a 3-in-1 shampoo!* All three analogies sound good, but they're quite correct. Even if you have the best of intentions, when we try to explain this mystery, we always tend to fall short, only seeing our God as one God who shows himself in three different ways, sometimes as the Father, sometimes the Son, and sometimes the Holy Spirit. Again, it sounds good, and it seems to make sense, but it only describes God in purely functional terms; that is when He is creating the world, or loving us, He is called Father. When He is saving the world on the cross, he is called Jesus. When he is empowering us with gifts like at Pentecost, He is called Holy Spirit. The error here is that this is contrary to what our Creed proclaims, as God exists in three persons, not three names, or three functions or three jobs He does for us.

Maybe closer to the mark is how C.S. Lewis referred to the Trinity within the context of knowing God in a relationship. He offered that when friendship is shared between two people, the initiative to make that relationship work is mutual. Each adds their own effort, ultimately making two independent people connected into one relationship. When a relationship becomes graced by love in the Sacrament of Marriage, and begins to build a family, that is father, mother and child... Two becomes three, or four, or more, and yet continues to be one family. Using this same logic, many though we are, we can see our place in this one family called Church! Remember the Church’s teaching: What is hidden in God can never be known unless is revealed by God. So OUR journey as Church, gathered here today for Mass, leads us closer to understanding a little more of this mystery of faith as it is revealed in God’s Word, and through the sacrifice of His Son at this table, and sent forth with us from here with the power of the Holy Spirit, to love and serve one another!

Today’s First Reading from Deuteronomy has Moses asking, “Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Well the answer to that question was NO! God chose His people to share in His mystery, and like today's Psalm sings, "Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be His own." Which is why Moses urged his people to make the most of this amazing opportunity! “This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other.”

In the second reading, Paul invites the Romans to celebrate Trinity, calling on them to know God as “Abba, Father.” And with those Romans, we here in Madison, Alabama are Church, “joint heirs with Christ, led by the Spirit.”

But its today’s Gospel from the end of Matthew that reassures us that all are truly included, and none of us really need to know all the answers to be who we are, for when the eleven disciples saw Christ that day, “they worshiped, but they doubted… [and without hesitation He still said,] All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” This is the work of the Church, and its the Good News for all to bear and receive! It is supported with a solid foundation of a very sure Truth cloaked in the mystery that is our God… Fun stuff isn’t it?

Today, the Church calls us to believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. And to believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified! Whatever the word we choose, or image we attempt to use, we are called to believe in God, because He believes in you! We are called to be in relationship with the Trinity that is the person of Abba - Father, who created us to love and serve Him as a Church of love and service! We are called to experience the Trinity in the person of Christ Jesus, His Son who offers us salvation through the Word made flesh, His cross, His suffering, His resurrection, and the Eucharist that we share here today! We are sent forth with the Trinity that is the person of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, sending us gifts of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, courage, reverence, right-judgement and the wonder & awe that comes with contemplating this great mystery.

So it is not about what God does for us, as if we created Him to meet our needs. It is about believing in these three divine persons, the Father who loves us, the Son who sacrifices for us, and the Spirit who empowers us!  How’s that for ordinary?

-30-

An Important Post Script... Like the homily said from the outset, the more you talk about the Trinity, the more likely you'll utter some kind of heresy... Why Bother?  Don't try to define God... Just believe!

Heresy One: After giving this Homily, many people enjoyed the 3-in-1 Shampoo reference, making me think that even though I offered it as an incorrect analogy, I gave them the very analogy that will forever remember, and cause them to think of the Trinity in error.  UGH! 

Heresy Two: Fr. Phil, my Pastor, legitimately challenged me by saying that I contradicted the very definition that I offered. 

In the Homily I said... “It sounds good, and it seems to make sense, but it only describes God in purely functional terms; that is when He is creating the world, or loving us, He is called Father. When He is saving the world on the cross, he is called Jesus. When he is empowering us with gifts like at Pentecost, He is called Holy Spirit. The error here is that this is contrary to what our Creed proclaims, as God exists in three persons, not three names, or three functions or three jobs He does for us.” 

Then I go on to say at the end… “We are called to be in relationship with the Trinity that is the person of Abba - Father, who created us to love and serve Him as a Church of love and service! We are called to experience the Trinity in the person of Christ Jesus, His Son who offers us salvation through the Word made flesh, His cross, His suffering, His resurrection, and the Eucharist that we share here today! We are sent forth with the Trinity that is the person of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, sending us gifts of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, courage, reverence, right-judgement and the wonder & awe that comes with contemplating this great mystery.” 

There they are, three functions: Creator, Savior, and Giver of Gifts... You see?  UGH!

Heresy Three: One of our smarter and wise parishioners, on the way out the door, shook my hand and thanked me for a good homily, but said, "Is that a lightning rod you're holding?"  Again, UGH!

Next time, I'm just gonna stand up, make the sign of the cross and sit down!

One More Thing... 

My colleague Deacon Dan Laurita posted this YouTube Video... 

It's perfect!

In all seriousness, ain't this fun?

*Source: C. Michael Patton BLOG: Credo House. “"The Trinity is Like 3-in-1 Shampoo". . . And Other Stupid Statements” AUGUST 27, 2009 - http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2009/08/the-trinity-is-like-3-in-1-shampoo-and-other-stupid-statements/?nabe=6241452902318080%3A0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F