Ken Overberg, S.J.

Trinity Sunday, June 3, 2007

Intro to liturgy: Early theologians, the Cappadocians, used the image of dance to describe the mystery of the Trinity with its divine energy, creativity, and mutuality.

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One of the gifts we prayed for last week on Pentecost was wisdom. On today’s feast of the Trinity, wisdom is again in our focus. The first reading, from the book of Proverbs, speaks of Woman Wisdom, Sophia. She is a creature of God and yet unlike any other because she surpasses all.

She is described as God’s cocreator and ambassador. Imagining wisdom in this personified way came very close to affirming Woman Wisdom as herself divine—though that would be impossible for Jewish monotheism.

However, later Christian imagination returned to the texts about Wisdom in order to speak about Jesus as the Word, Logos.

In the second reading, Paul speaks about the Trinity’s role in leading us to the fullness of life by giving us faith, hope, and love.

And in the gospel, we hear another small part of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. In reality, it is the profound musings of the Johannine community many years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Not exactly easy to take in with a single hearing, this gospel reveals a penetrating insight into the identity of Jesus, particularly the shared divine life.

It suggests the seeds of Trinitarian thought, that continued to grow and develop over several centuries.

Our celebration of Trinity Sunday directs our attention to the very

center of Christianity, Holy Mystery. Let’s listen to God’s word.

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Wisdom. Surely the heart of wisdom is to stand in wonder and awe of this holy and incomprehensible mystery, our God! John’s community has helped us realize that this God is not a solitary being but an everlasting mutuality, a community of life, a Trinity. What is at the heart of reality is precisely a God who wants to share divine life.

“For God so loved the world....”

As we were so richly reminded again last week, our Baptism invites us into this holy mystery, this overflowing love, this divine dance. Our lives are to reflect God’s life.

In reality, though, our lives don’t always do this, do they? Indeed, if you read David Brooks’ column in the Enquirer this past Tuesday, you found a very different perspective. Brooks described how “non-Hispanic white Catholics” have surged ahead in wealth and education. Brooks’

vision of what he calls the quasi-religious Catholic includes economic success, autonomy, individualism, and skepticism.

Our celebration of the Trinity offers something else—for we proclaim that the intimacy, equality, and mutuality expressed in Jesus’ life and ministry give insight into God and guidance for all our relationships.

The “doctrine of the Trinity is ultimately a practical doctrine with radical consequences for Christian life” (Catherine LaCugna in "God for Us"). In our lives there is no place for vengeance or violence or skepticism. There is, instead, compassion and faithfulness, trust and forgiveness, nonviolence and hope, life and love. We gather not as quasi-religious Christians but as participants in the divine dance.

To what new insight or experience of gratitude or change of heart is Wisdom inviting you this Trinity Sunday?

After the announcements: For those of you looking for substantive and prayerful reading for the summer, I recommend Catherine La Cugna’s book on the Trinity, "God for Us."   For those looking to encounter Holy Mystery in another way, I again recommend the sculpture created by Bernie Schmidt, located in a small park around the corner from St Francis de Sales Church (just a couple of miles from XU). The sculpture represents the spirit of East Walnut Hills. It also happens to be a wonderful symbol of the Trinity, a marvelous expression of the energy and mutuality of the divine dance.

You may want to stop by sometime and be inspired.