TRINITY SUNDAY - Anne East

Sermon preached by Anne East, Reader Emerita

2 Corinthians 13: 11-13, Matthew 28: 16-20

“For I rote to you out of much distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain, but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.”

 (2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 4.)

Paul had a deep affection for the people of Corinth. From his very first visit, recounted in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul builds a relationship with them – he lives there for 18 months, staying with a friendly tent maker, preaching in the synagogue and establishing a strong Christian community. He visited at least twice, maybe even three times and when he was away he kept in touch by letter.

The Greek city of Corinth was a thriving sea port, a strategic location known for its wealth, commerce, and moral decadence. Paul addresses those issues in his first letter, demanding discipline and improved behaviour. But painful though that was, Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians takes him even deeper into sorrow and hurt.

We don’t know exactly what has happened, but it seems that other teachers have arrived, claiming greater authority than Paul. They had made fun of his speaking style, his insignificant appearance. This hurt dreadfully, it was of immense importance to Paul that he was acknowledged as the founder of the church in Corinth. This rival group of ‘super-apostles’ has fractured the congregation, and they face the real possibility of schism.

Paul admonishes them, encourages them, presents his case; and then signs off with the possibility of hope:

“Put things in order, listen to my appeal,  agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

After the storm of tears, rebukes, recriminations and self-justifications these closing verses exhort the church to peace and concord.

And then, the Trinitarian blessing: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”

This is of particular note for us today (Trinity Sunday) because all his other letters end with a reference to Christ’s grace alone:

At the end of the first letter to the Corinthians

“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you”.

At the end of Galatians:  “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” None of the other letters mentions the other members of the Trinity.

Perhaps the Corinthians need to be reminded of the fullness of the love of God available to them. Perhaps most of all, they need to be reminded of the Holy Spirit’s power to create communion.

Recent decades have seen an explosion of writing on the doctrine of the Trinity, a concept of God which has previously seemed to be an incomprehensible metaphysical formulation from an earlier age. Today it has returned to the centre of theological reflection.

Does this rediscovery of the Trinity:  ‘God in Relationship’ reflect an urgent need for us to reconnect – with God and with each other? To perceive the relationality of all humanity  - and indeed all creation - in this brutal era through which we are currently living?

“The time for discussion has passed,” people say.  “Our differences are irreconcilable,”  In many situations— in church life, in the national political arena, in interpersonal relationships—the road to unity may appear to be closed. It seems beyond human ability to find reconciliation.

Paul’s final words give the possibility of hope even in the despair of brokenness. He voices the assurance that people do not face this overwhelming challenge alone. He acknowledges and claims the presence of the grace of God.

Our Gospel reading today repeats this Trinitarian formula. The writer of Matthew places these words in Jesus great Commission to his disciples:

^“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”

This is not an easy doctrine. It can seem confusing, even something to be pushed it to one side.

I recall a conversation with our vicar Bill Warren and our curate Peter Milligan where they both expressed gratitude that I was willing to preach on Trinity Sunday. “Very complicated to deal with in a 10 minute sermon” they said. But I am excited by the Trinity – it is a vital part of my faith.

Jesus told his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

What if we got our scissors out and cut off bits of the Trinity?

What if we baptized people only in the name of the Father? Besides sounding awkward, it would deny the work and person of Christ and the ongoing activity of the Spirit. It would not be a full picture of who God is.

What if we just baptized people in the name of Jesus? That would miss the person of “God the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth,” It would also miss the Holy Spirit, the ongoing presence of God with us today.

And if we said, “I baptize you in the name of the Holy Spirit”? That misses the awesomeness and creativity of God the Father and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, God in human flesh.

 “Father, Son and Holy Spirit “ . You have already heard those words 3 times this morning (the beginning of the service, during the Gloria, and at the end of the collect). You will hear them later in the Eucharistic prayer, and at the end of the service, in the blessing. We will affirm our faith in Father Son and Holy Spirit when we say the creed straight after this sermon. In our intercessions, we pray to the Father, with and through the Son, and in the power of the Spirit.

One way of describing the Trinity is to talk about Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer. A ‘job-description’ if you like! God creating, redeeming, sustaining.  One of the modern prayer books that I use has ‘Life-giver, Pain-bearer, and Love-maker.

That is something to celebrate and hold on to when we are feeling isolated, angry, deserted, depressed, grieving, hopeless, fearful, anxious, wounded.

Therein lies the power of the Trinity, the very fullness of God, with which Paul ends his painful letter to the Corinthians urging them to reconcile and go forward in love.

The 14^th century mystic Julian of Norwich wrote in her Revelation of Divine Love “Though the persons of the blessed Trinity be all alike in their attributes, it was their love which was most shown to me, and that is closest to us all”

This loving communion is available to us all.  

Amen