Homily Trinity Sunday (2020) “God Can Not be Divided”
Trinity Sunday (2020) “God Can Not be Divided”
People say goodbye in very eloquent ways in the Bible. We read several times how leaders give final instructions to their followers when they see them for the last time. We read one of these farewells, in the Second Letter to the Corinthians today.
In the epistle, Paul writes a salutation to the Corinthians. He was unhappy with this church community. The Corinthians had been arguing and bickering with one another. The rich were treated better than the poor. Different races in the church were not getting along. Leaders in the community were having political fights. Disputes had arisen over doctrine. The list of things the Corinthian Christians were fighting about was long.
What does Paul ask of them in the end? He says:
“Mend your ways. Encourage one another. Live in harmony and peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
In the Gospel of John there are several speeches which are called discourses. We have the “Bread of Life” discourse, for example where Jesus speaks of the Eucharist. The section of scripture we read from today is taken from the what is called the “Last Discourse”
In the Last Discourse Jesus prays for his disciples the night before he dies. He asks the Father for various favors. Jesus asks that his disciples be able to keep the faith even when they are severely tested for example. But he has these lines just towards the end of his sermon. He says: “I do not pray for them alone.
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their word,
That all may be one, as you, Father are in me, and I in you;
I pray that they be one in us,
That the world may believe that you sent me.”
What does every great leader pray for at the end of their life? Usually, they pray that their followers will be united. The common theme of Paul’s farewell and Jesus’ farewell is the plea that the disciples who carry on after them will be one. Paul and Jesus knew that the most terrible thing in the world is discord in a community. If people are fighting, then no group of people can hang together.
What do we remember about the Trinity today? We remember the core of our Trinitarian belief is all about loving relationships. Jesus is loved by the Father and loved by the Spirit. Jesus loves them in return. Perfect love binds the Trinity together. If there was ever dissension in the Trinity, it could not exist. God would not exist.
We pray with great happiness today that we aren’t as socially isolated as we have been. At the same time, we pray with uncertainty. What has made us most unhappy these last 3 months? What has made us most unhappy is the fact that COVID 19 has divided us. The disease has kept us apart. We have been unable to see so many of the people we love for weeks on end. Maybe it has been our grandchildren, or perhaps we have not been able to be with dear friends. Many of us have missed coming together in Christian community for worship. If we were asked, before the experience of the last few weeks, what we were feeling, we might have said I just need some peace and quiet. But now we realize that even the most introverted among us longs for others. We are happy that the quarantine is easing.
Yet, we are also have been made aware of another fact of life. The divisions in our society are deeper than we ever would have imagined. Several African American deaths at the hands of civil authorities have made us realize the wall that exists between the races in our country higher, wider and longer than we ever might have thought.
The question we ask today is will our prayer be the same prayer as the prayer of Paul and the prayer of Jesus? Will our prayer always be that we might be one? Or, will our prayer be let the segregation continue. Prayer is only effective if there is action to go with the prayer. What action must be taken?
One action that must be taken is that the leadership that would divide us from one another must be exposed for what it is. Silence isn’t an option. We can’t snicker at racial slurs. We must seek leadership that binds the wounds of the nation with the balm of equal justice for all. A hopeful sign for all of us should be the young people that took to our streets who demonstrated peacefully this week. In the crowds that we saw on television were faces of all nationalities walking together. Most young people want to leave institutional racism behind. Yes, there were some criminals who destroyed property, but by the end of the week the crowds that gathered were confronting those who had a criminal agenda to chase them away.
We must not listen to those who would divide us. We must seek the way of repentance and reconciliation. Paul’s prayer for oneness, must be our prayer. Jesus prayer for unity must be our call to action. If we are followers of Jesus Christ, we revere leaders who call us to stand together. And we follow them, so that we all may be one as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
Reflection Questions:
1. Does the idea of Trinity as being all about relationship appeal to me? How do I seek to build relationships with strangers in my life?
2. Do I feel a oneness in our nation right now? If not, do I talk about my discomfort or do I avoid the topic?
Dear Parishioners,
The time for us to come back to worship in our church has arrived. We still have obstacles, however. Unfortunately for us, or fortunately for us, Monday morning we will welcome the craftsman back who will be working on the last phase of installing our stained glass. Until this project is over, we will still be having livestream Mass each morning.
As long as we, are used to this way of operating, we may as well continue having daily Mass in this way until the work in the church is done. I wish things could be different, but this is how it is. To limit attendance to five or ten people for devotions and daily Mass would be very difficult. I hate to have to turn people away. Fr. Matthew and I would love to just throw the doors open to the church, but that would not be safe.
On Sundays we will be having Mass in church starting on the Sunday the 14th. We will be able to have 125 people in church for the 7 a.m. Mass and the 11 a.m. Mass. To attend you can sign up on our website. If you are not comfortable with computers, you may call our office and the staff will help you sign-up. The sign-up begins by Noon Mondays and will close at 9 a.m. Fridays. The weekend of the 20th and 21st we will have three Masses in church, the 4 p.m. Saturday Mass and 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday. We hope to livestream one of those Masses. The 9 a.m. will be outside weather permitting.
Our office will also be opening on Monday June 8th for regular hours. Whenever you come to our office or Mass you are asked to wear a mask for the protection of those around you.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints protect us this week.
Fr. Mark