So how do we talk about the Trinity? We get our baptismal Trinitarian formula from Jesus in the Matthew reading, and the Trinitarian blessing from Paul in 2 Corinthians, and we can even play around with the Trinity in Genesis (why else would John have spent so much theological energy on the pre-eminant Christ), but none of that really talks about who or what the Trinity is. Or does it?
Who or what is God? This question has stumped theologians and regular every day folks for years. According to a quick google search, just the question alone has approximately 264,000,000 results! And the list of names for God found not only in the Bible, but in other sacred texts, is endless. We attribute a lot of qualities and distinctions to God--creator, father, mother, warrior, champion, healer, Lord, all knowing, all powerful, ever present. There is no one way to describe, name, or define God.
And it's through the ministry of Jesus (God incarnate) we learn a lot about God. Scripture teaches us that Jesus was a healer, a prophet, a teacher, a leader, couragous, loving and inclusive. Again, more things to know about the nature of God.
So what about the Holy Spirit? Well, we know that the Holy Spirit was present in creation (remember, the Hebrew for breath, wind or spirit is "ruah"), and the Holy Spirit came down as a dove at the baptism of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit came into the upper room as a rushing wind lighting upon the disciples with tounges of flames. The Holy Spirit, is loud, creative, beautiful, powerful, energizing, purifying. Again, more things to know about the nature of God.
Hmmm...
And then of course, there's art. Art influences the way we understand the world around us. It gives a us a visual guide and perspective for reflecting on those concepts which words are often inadequate for.
There's the great Byzantine icon with the three identical individuals sitting at the table. A visual representation of the economy of the Trinity. And there's the icon of the adult brown haired Jesus sitting next to the elderly white haired God with the Holy Spirit dove floating above them. And also popular is the elderly white haired God sitting on a throne with a boy Jesus in his lap, and the Holy Spirit (again represented as a dove) in a mandala cradled in the hands of Jesus. All of these trying to explain how and what the Trinity is.
In scouring different books and the internet for images of the Trinity, the one I found that spoke to me the most was fairly modern. It was three figures that didn't have specific features or faces, but they were definitely in human-like form. And like the Byzantine icon, they were gathered around the table. And in their non-specificness, I felt invited to project onto them what they each represented to me, using those adjectives, qualities and other definers I named above. Perhaps today God is comforter, but tomorrow God may be liberator. The other thing about this image that appealed to me was that it invited me to the table. As I looked at it, I realized that there was a figure on each end of the table, and one behind the table, and it seemed as if there was room for me there too.
Now that doesn't mean that I'm suddenly on equal footing with God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit! But it does mean that I'm invited to the conversation, to join in as a healer, teacher, liberator, warrior, comforter. That's what being a disciple is, right? The completely human, completely flawed person who is invited to the table to carry out the work of the Trinity. I think many of us would agree, for instance, that David Duncombe had spent some time at that table. And we are all invited to that table...even when we feel that we're not confident enough or worthy enough. There is always space for us at that table.
And the good news is that we aren't on our own to do this work. We are created by a loving God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned by Jesus who is with us always.