Trinity Sunday C’25
15 June 2025
Rom.5.1-5; Jn. 16.12-15
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
North Little Rock, Arkansas
The Rev. Carey Stone <+>
I bind unto myself today the strong Name of the Trinity by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three. – From St. Patrick’s Breastplate
Next time you walk into our Chapel take a closer look at the stained-glass windows. What you are looking at is the mystery of the doctrine of the Trinity in tangible and symbolic form. On your left you see what appears to be a large Star of David in a very contemporary and stylized form symbolizing God the Creator. On your right you will see a powerful interpretation of Christ on the cross on Good Friday symbolizing God our Redeemer. Finally, in the middle window you will see a white dove with stylized tongues of fire descending on Pentecost. In just three windows literally thousands of years of salvation history is captured.
The God, who in Genesis declared “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.” (Genesis 1.26 new revised standard version), reveals a plurality. Somehow all genders are the manifestation of the three-personed God; as one Celtic writer put it, “within the heart of God is a mother’s heart.” The masculine and feminine both reveal the God that created all of us.
One of the several names of Jesus is Emmanuel meaning God who is with us. This member of the Holy Trinity who was and is The Eternal Word came to visit us and to show us what God in human form looks like. He said of himself “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.”
Next, after Christ’s ascension comes the descension of the Holy Spirit which is the part of God that has the ability to live within us, walk beside us, permeate the ground beneath us, hover above us, and be omnipresent everywhere, all at once. This is the part of God that means we are never ever really alone.
The Holy and undivided Trinity:
God above us
God with us
God within us
– coequal and One in purpose, power, and plan?
History of development
The word “Trinity” is not to be found anywhere in the Bible but what would become known as the Trinity seems to be embedded in the universe and in scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. It took a long time for the full story of the Trinity to come into a clearer focus.
If you will look at the photo in your bulletin you will see an ancient pre-Christian symbol known as a Triskelion. This particular one, carved in stone and located in Ireland, dates back to around 4000BC. From one central point emerges three spirals radiating outward. This symbol captures the essence of the magnetic energy that emanates from the earth and as I learned in England at the Castlerigg stone circle, (Stonehenge north) these sacred grounds have a highly concentrated magnetic power. I was instructed to find a place in the stone circle and to stand slightly on tip toe and allow natural movement to happen. My body began to rotate in a spiral pattern just like the Triskelion! Trees, where the trunk appears to be twisted in a spiral patten are due to the magnetic field they are growing on.
In the scriptures of the OT, we hear about the Spirit hovering over a formless void prior to the earths’ creation. Then the passage from Genesis “let us make humankind in our image.” God the Creator is constantly made reference to and then the prophecies foretelling of a coming Messiah. Then in the NT we see all three Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus prior to his ascension said that it was important that he goes away for if he doesn’t then the Holy Spirit cannot fully come. He also issued in the gospel of Matthew what is known as The Great Commission:
“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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28.19-20)
The word “Trinity” is not found in the scripture but Jesus spoke of God in three persons, at his baptism Jesus is present the dove of the Holy Spirit descends upon him and ‘The Voice from heaven’ declares this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. St. Paul in his writings points out the one God as revealed in the Father, Son, and Spirit. However, it was not until the year 325AD at the Church Council of Nicaea that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was written down, becoming the essential understanding of God by Orthodox Christians.
What does this finally mean? That God is One, and relational, in a community of Three Persons. God is above us, with us, and within us to comfort, convict, and empower us to be God’s people in the world – God’s literally got us surrounded giving us faith, hope, and love.
One of the best modern-day metaphors of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit within us comes in the form of the movie Star Wars: A New Hope where Darth Vader confronts obi Wan Kenobi in a swashbuckling light saber duel. Obi Wan tells Darth: “If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.” Darth strikes him down and he dies. But shortly after this Luke Skywalker is called to go on a combat mission and while flying and talking to himself rehearsing his doubts and fears a comforting and empowering voice of the spirit of Obi Wan speaks within him to guide and direct. This is what the Christian message has in place we are invited into direct communication and relationship with the God of the Universe through the wireless connection of prayer that always has a signal stronger than 5g wi-fi.
I leave you with a Three-fold blessing from St. Paul:
May the amazing Grace of the master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, and the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. – II Corinthians 13.14 MSG