Trinity-The Mystery of Love
- Jun 1
- 3 min read
We thank you for the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. A General Thanksgiving BCP
As I listened to the General Thanksgiving yesterday morning, the phrase “mystery of love” jumped out at me, because I have come across several reflections this week about the oddity of the Trinitarian concept...three in one, one in three and all the theological problems that go with it. The Trinity seems to be a mystery to many people, even scholars who study it and preach about it.
The phrase mystery of love reminded me that just like love, the Trinity has no one possible definition for everyone. Love means different things to different people in all of creation and so too the Trinity means different things to different people. For example what word would you use to describe God? If you only were allowed to choose one word would it be father, mother, brother, sister, spirit, presence, holy, holiness, creator, redeemer, sustainer or what?
Trinity is about relationship and a mysterious one at that. Diana Butler Bass suggested in her Musings this week that she would rather just skip this Sunday, or write a poem, or sing a song. So she posted this hilarious video and said she was sorry she didn't have it years ago to offer students to whom she was teaching the Trinity. Enjoy!
However, Bass goes on to contrast the rather cold reading appointed for today from Matthew to the "beautiful and tantalizing words" from the gospel of John in which Jesus explains the beauty of the mystery of the Trinity by weaving words together like a fabric. As Bass says, this sounds "like the work of a poet, a lover or a dancer."
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me….
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever.This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me….
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
(If you replace the words Father, Advocate, Holy Spirit in that passage with your own words for the parts of the Trinity, you might find great comfort. "...but the Creator who dwells in me...I am in the Divine and the Great Weaver is in me...")
Bass then goes on to quote the beautiful words of the great Celtic poet and priest:
"The Christian concept of God as Trinity is the most sublime articulation of otherness and intimacy, an eternal interflow of friendship. This perspective discloses the beautiful fulfillment of our immortal longing in the words of Jesus, who said, Behold, I call you friends."
Ah yes, the mystery of otherness and intimacy, hard to articulate, sublime but beautiful. Trinity is an "eternal interflow of friendship" and Jesus anoints us into the eternal flow when he calls us friends. If you have a friend, a real friend, you know what a mystery it is and perhaps you also know the Trinity.
***If you would like to muse with Diana Butler Bass, I recommend subscribing to her website The Cottage. https://dianabutlerbass.substack.com?r=l4css
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