Sunday May 22nd, 2016 Trinity Sunday John 16:12-15
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth?" (verse 13)
During my years of interfaith chaplaincy, I was questioned many times about one God being simultaneously Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In fact, in many congregations, members queried what one parishioner described as a triple-headed deity. Somehow, the thought that the creator of the universe, in all of its variety and mystery, could have three personalities was confusing. Added to this were cynical people from other faiths or of no faith to whom a three-in-one God was a contradiction.
My simplest analogy in response was that of water: it can be liquid, ice or vapour, and yet it is still two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, one element.
Our loving, redeeming God is so great and creative. When the time was right, God came to us in human form as Jesus, to walk our walk and represent humanity and its brokenness in relationship to the divine and to one another. He carried that sin to a very human suffering and death. After proving that death did not have to be our final act, the Father’s risen Son moved on, but not without providing his Spirit as our ongoing companion and assurance of our God’s friendship and hope.
Amazing God, open us totally to your Trinity promises and actions. Amen. — SO
Contributed by Spirit of truth
During my years of interfaith chaplaincy, I was questioned many times about one God being simultaneously Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In fact, in many congregations, members queried what one parishioner described as a triple-headed deity. Somehow, the thought that the creator of the universe, in all of its variety and mystery, could have three personalities was confusing. Added to this were cynical people from other faiths or of no faith to whom a three-in-one God was a contradiction.
My simplest analogy in response was that of water: it can be liquid, ice or vapour, and yet it is still two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, one element.
Our loving, redeeming God is so great and creative. When the time was right, God came to us in human form as Jesus, to walk our walk and represent humanity and its brokenness in relationship to the divine and to one another. He carried that sin to a very human suffering and death. After proving that death did not have to be our final act, the Father's risen Son moved on, but not without providing his Spirit as our ongoing companion and assurance of our God's friendship and hope.
