Trinity Sunday, 2009

Icon of the Holy Trinity
Andrei Rublev, c. 1410








June 7, 2009 Trinity Sunday (RCL Year B) Isaiah 6: 1-8

All the readings appointed for this Trinity Sunday are exceptionally rich and abundant with language and imagery of Father, Son, and Spirit, the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity. And surrounding us as well the majestic poetry and music of the great hymns especially appropriate for this day.

All a reminder that while this day takes its name from the formal title of an ancient theological doctrine, what it is truly about, and what we are about this morning, is not a classroom, lecture hall hour of philosophical disquisition, though that has its place, but today for us doctrine flows into doxology, teaching becomes thanksgiving: I bind unto myself this day, the strong name of the Trinity--worship, praise, adoration, all the wellspring of our spiritual life, our calling and discipleship as Christian people.

In the words of the ancient hymn: Holy, holy, holy, LORD God of Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. The glorious company of the apostles praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee. The noble army of martyrs praise thee. The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee, the Father, of an infinite majesty; thine adorable, true, and only Son; also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

As we would say with Isaiah this morning, the sixth chapter, the fifth verse, as we hear the word proclaimed, as we break the Bread together at the Holy Table, as we drink from the Cup of Salvation, this moment when Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will become even the court of heaven, these eyes of mine have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!

Worship and praise. Flowing from us, embracing us. It takes an act of the will, an inward opening of the mind, the heart, the imagination, to hear this invitation, to swing wide the door, to be lifted into his presence as he embraces us here and now--for all the turmoil of our lives, the doubts, the second-guessing.

A deep breath in, and an exhalation. Not something reserved only for the rare mystic saint, but for us all. As we say—yes—to him. That as Christ died for us, and rose from the dead, so we share in his death, so we are made a part of his resurrection. Easter, Ascension, Pentecost. So we are alive in him, alive in the Father, alive in the Spirit. The future promise of God, here and now, in Christ and among us.

So the word is, “sing, rejoice, and be glad.” It’s Trinity Sunday!


Bruce Robison