Trinity Sunday

This week marks the beginning of “Ordinary Time”! Having walked through the story of Jesus—his incarnation, birth, life and ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and descent of his Spirit, we move into the time of year where we gather up that story and walk the path of faith. 

Ordinary time begins with “Trinity Sunday,” when we celebrate the full revelation of God as tri-une: He’s three; he’s one.

On the one hand, this is a simple thing to say. And, in a way, simple to understand. On the other hand this makes no sense. And the kids are sure to have questions!

How can something be three and one at once? The first thing to say is that we are, of course, reaching the limits of human understanding. The second thing to say is that we’re not talking about something, or even about a rule for what is possible for “things” in general. Instead, we’re talking about how to describe God—who is unique and beyond classification of any kind—in a way that does justice to what the Scriptures teach about the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Perhaps the best way to say it is this: In Christian theology, we have not three Gods but one. That God exists in three persons, who are yet one God. The Father, then, is all of what it is to be God, but is not the Son or the Spirit. The same goes for the Son and the Spirit: they are all of what it is to be God and they are not the same as one another. 

This is a deep mystery, and yet it is precisely how God has made himself known to us. 

Scripture to consider:

• Matthew 28:16-20

  
  

Question for your kids

• I wonder: Is the Trinity hard for you to understand or think about? Why or why not?

Peace,

Danny+