On his third visit to the Americas Christopher Columbus saw in the distance what appeared to be three islands; As he came closer he realised that these were in fact Not three But one - a single island, Joined by strips of low lying sand He gave the island the name Trinidad The Spanish word for Trinity Saying that it reminded him on the Holy Trinity For from afar we see and experience God as three persons But when we come near and see God as he really is We will find that the three persons are in fact one The analogy is a good one It is consistent with the Christian understanding of God Expressed in the Creeds But what does it all mean? And how does it help us To think of and to know God as three yet one, as Trinity? Clearly we are at the limits of human language in attempting to describe the Trinity Indeed, any language at all about God stretches our language And is immediately metaphorical For in talking about God at all We are trying to describe the indescribable And we must inevitably resort to analogy The scriptures themselves constantly do this Using things that are familiar and known to us To describe that which is unfamiliar to us and unlike us God is like a rock the psalmist writes – but we know God is not a rock God is like a strong tower – but God is of course not a tower or castle The Scriptures are full of word pictures like this Often on Trinity Sunday the person charged with the unenviable challenge of explaining the Trinity to the congregation Usually the priest Resorts also to analogy You have probably seen or heard sermons on how the Trinity is like A shamrock – or three leaved clover Or like water – which can be a liquid, a steamy mist when boiled, or a solid, ice, when frozen Or perhaps like a woman who can be a mother, a sister, and a daughter all simultaneously… I want to offer this morning another image of God Another analogy Another way of thinking about and talking about God That I take from a book by that great lay theologian and writer Dorothy Sayers Who suggests that we understand God best when we think of God as a creative artist An artist, whose image and likeness shines through to us in the act of creation An act that like all great creative works Comprises the three stages of the creative process The Idea, The Expression, and The Recognition Idea The creative process begins with an idea The idea exists – Walt Disney had died before the opening of Disneyland in the early 1970’s And was not present at the opening of the theme park that bears his name The official performing the cutting of the ribbon turned to his widow just before declaring Disneyland open and said “If only Walt had seen this day” and Walt Disney’s widow replied – “He did, that’s why we are here” all of the great works of art and of literature began with a idea in the mind of an artist and existed initially only as an idea not yet realised; with nor real shape or form Now, I am not a great creative artist But I am writing a thesis and have been for three years now That I hope will one day earn me a Doctorate That thesis started with an idea The question I most dread at social occasions when people learn of this Is, What is your thesis, Tell us about it I know what it is – it is clear in my mind But it is incredibly hard to explain adequately Especially to those who are not used to the language of theology and of biblical exegesis and of textual criticism; The Old Testament lesson this morning was from Exodus Which tells the story of Moses And the defining moment in the Book of Exodus comes when Moses demands to know who God is Tell me who you are Moses demands of God Tell me what your name is God answers “I AM” Not much of an answer really “I just exist” God tells Moses, I am existence, I am being, itself “I am that I am” And God the Father is like that Ultimate existence, ultimate being – Quite hard to grasp hold of and explain Quite unknowable really Expression But if that is all that we know of God Then we would not know much at all about God; A wonderful creative idea might well exist But unless I can walk into an art gallery and admire it’s expression on canvas Or pick up a book and read it Or go to the theatre and see it performed It remains unrealised and without expression It remains only an idea; That is why God the Son – Jesus Christ – becomes so important “No one has ever at any time seen God” the Gospel of John declares “but God the Son has made God known” I mentioned my thesis – which is an idea, An idea very hard to explain adequately But in the next year or two that thesis will be fully expressed in a work A book Of some 100,000 words So if you really want to know what my thesis is all about Soon I can tell you to go to a library and take it off the shelf and read it for yourself The idea is given full and very detailed expression in the book; Like that – the idea and the being and the very essence and existence of God the Father Is given full and very detailed expression In the person of God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; I once saw a documentary about ancient Egypt on television And this documentary explained how, for many decades, as the science of archaeology and Egyptology developed Scholars were unable to decipher the meaning of the hieroglyphics they found written on the walls of the pyramids and in other places The symbols remained an unexplained mystery to them They existed all right – but were not understood That is, until one unforgettable day, when they found a stone The Rosetta stone that contained the Egyptian hieroglyphics and alongside it, a translation in Greek, a known language That enabled them to decipher and to understand the previously unknown langue of the hieroglyphics God the Son is like the Rosetta stone of faith God might be unknowable and incomprehensible to us But through the life and the person of Christ We see into the mystery of God and the nature and being of God becomes known and comprehensible to us; Recognition Finally, like all great creative artists It is possible that you and I might gaze upon a great work of art And even understand it fully… You might have heard of Michelangelo’s great idea to paint the roof of the Sistine chapel And even seen the finished work itself You might appreciate the technical detail of the painting and have studied it in great detail, first hand You might know all there is to know about it - When it was commenced, when finished, what period of history it belongs to and so on You might even have written a thesis on it… But it still might not move or touch you You still might miss its real beauty and power Until one day you come to stand in that chapel and gaze upon it And it touches something inside you And you walk out of that chapel a different person; You might know of God And you might know a lot about the expression of God in the person of Jesus Christ You might have read of his life and work and studied his teachings at great length and in great detail But still not know the beauty and the power and the love of God Until it touches your heart and mind in a way that only God can And makes you a different person in some way; This is the work of the Holy Spirit Making the ultimate reality and being of God Known and seen in the person of Jesus Christ A living reality in the hearts and minds of people God the Holy Trinity - God the creative artist Wrote into existence the story of creation Giving to us the world we live in With it’s beauty and wonder and delight Giving to us the very breathe of life; God entered our world and our history In and through his son Jesus Christ That we might know him and love him and see him And follow him And having done that, God left part of himself to remain in this world And in our lives Within our very hearts Giving to us at Pentecost the gift of his Spirit And here is the real wonder and beauty of God the Holy Trinity That like all great artists God invites us to participate in his own creation To play a part in his drama To contribute a verse to his poem To paint a panel to his picture; Walt Whitman sums this up perfectly with a poem Called “O me! O life!” That asks the question, Why Why life? Why existence? And gives this answer - That you are here – that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. It’s not too much of a stretch of the imagine to picture God Watching, waiting, wondering Asking What will your verse be? In the name of God the Holy Trinity Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Amen. |