June 6, 2004; Trinity Sunday, Year C
The Rev. Harold "Skip" Comer, Rector
The first paper that I had to write in seminary was for my professor of theology. The topic of the paper was, “The Problem With God.” The reason I remember this paper, some twenty-three years later is because of the concluding remark that Fr. Griffiss wrote on my paper – something to the effect that he might have to have a talk with my bishop. It was my conclusion that got me into hot water. I concluded that there was really no problem with God; rather the problem was with us in understanding and accepting God. Besides not really addressing the assigned topic, I must have come across as a little bit pompous in my paper. Perhaps it was the picture of Auguste Rodin’s statue The Thinker that did it. While I still believe the conclusion that I stated in the paper, that the problem is with us and not God, I have also come to realize that I do not have all of the answers.
Each year on Trinity Sunday I wrestle with what I should say about the Trinity. I am often tempted to open my theology books and give a text book explanation of the Doctrine of the Trinity. Yet I realize that this does not fully satisfy what Trinity Sunday is all about. In order to begin to comprehend God and the Trinity, books must eventually be closed and the heart and mind opened to the experience of God. We can read a biography or autobiography about someone and then go on to say that we know that person, even though we have never met them. Yet to truly know someone, you have to experience them, not in just a casual way, but intimately.
That is what Jesus provided to his disciples and many other people he encountered during his lifetime. Even though many, if not most, did not realize it at the time, what they experienced was more than the man called Jesus; more than just a teacher, prophet, or miracle worker – what they experienced was God.
While we do not have the same opportunity as those who met Jesus face to face, I believe that there is still the opportunity to experience God even today. The way that Jesus says that this will happen is through indwelling and guidance of the Holy Spirit. For some it will be an ecstatic experience, like we heard last week from the Book of Acts about the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We may even have an experience like St. Paul who was zapped by a lighting bolt, knocked off of his horse, and heard the voice of Jesus. But for many people the experience of God is an awareness of the presence of something far greater than we are. It can happen as we watch the setting of the sun from the beach at Point Betsie. It can happen as we pray. It can happen as we listen to music or sing a hymn. It can happen at any time and when it does we somehow know that we are in the presence of God.
As I read The Commendation, “Into thy hands, O Merciful Savior, we commend thy servant …,” this morning for Robert Long, his grandson stood up and muttered something. I later found out that a deer ran down the berm of the highway at that moment. Some might say that it was coincidence. Others might even claim that it was Robert’s spirit. But could it be that it was a sign from God?
As bizarre as our readings from Isaiah and The Revelation to John are, as unbelievable as they might be, they give us a sense of the magnificence, splendor, and power of God. He is really beyond our comprehension.
As I read the passage from Revelations I could help but think of the Wizard of Oz. The wizard that lived in the Emerald City, to which Dorothy, the tin man, scarecrow, and lion traveled to have their wishes fulfilled. We all have seen the movie, and know that behind the great edifice of the Wizard in Oz was a small man who had no power to grant the wishes of Dorothy and her companions. I wonder if we have made God so big that we will be disappointed when we get to heaven, if heaven really exist.
But then I look around and realize that something far greater than you or I exist. Yesterday as I visited with Barbara and Jim Searls, we paused for a few moments and watched humming birds come to their humming bird feeder. We talked about the fact that aerodynamically, a humming bird should not be able to fly. As I thought about birds – the Baltimore Orioles we have seen this spring, the Cardinals, Blue Birds, Finches, the list goes on and on, even the Crows and Cowbirds – who would have thought to make so many different varies. If we look out our windows behind the altar we can see at least seven different varies of trees. Why are there so many different varies of trees? I believe that this world in which we live – this creation, for it is just that, the creation of God – is a witness to the power and magnificence of God.
Is it really so hard then to accept some of the imagery that is given to us by Isaiah and John of God and his kingdom. I think on these things and wonder if the problem is that we think to small to allow for the greatness of God. Our God is not the Wizard of Oz who has no real power. The God that we believe has the power to create something out of nothing, to raise the dead to eternal life in his kingdom. The kingdom of God, where all who are present sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” We are a part of that glory, the proof of the existence of the Lord, God Almighty.