Trinity Sunday - Homily 2

Homily 2 - 2009

This is a great feast today. We celebrate the Trinity, which somehow marks our whole lives -particularly since our baptism.

Father, Son and Spirit - three partners, all different, dancing to the one rhythm; or, like three musical instruments, together, making the one melody. And the one dance, the one melody, is the dance and the melody of love.

We're marked by that one rhythm, that one melody - made in the image of God, baptised into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Each of the three is different: the source of it all, the starting point for it all, the unknowable mystery behind it all, we call the Father.

The expression of it all, the revelation of it all, St John called the Word, though more often we call that one the Son.

And the one who works in them and works on us, drawing us into the rhythm, the melody, of love, we call the Holy Spirit. It is that Spirit that enables us to be truly christened, and - in and through Christ - draws us, as daughters and sons, into the very life, the dance, of God.

It is all about loving. God is all about loving. We are all about loving. But, don't we struggle!

There is a formidable power abroad in our world that tries to draw us away from each other, that pits us against each other, that encourages us to see others as competitors, threats, resources, ones we can use and exploit, or simply ignore.

Our Scriptures call that power the sin of the world, and somehow it seeps into our hearts and minds.

But, we're made for better things. We are called to better things. We can love, with the power - the gracious power - of God. And, to the extent that we do, our life becomes a dance - in unison, a wonderful melody – in massed choir.

But, it starts with God, the source of love. We need to let ourselves be loved; we need to believe and accept that love or we are powerless. Succeed at that – and the rest follows.

Something is afoot in the parish at the moment. We're being called to get up from around the wall and to step out onto the dance-floor, and to dance, together, in step.

As parish, we are the Body of Christ. We share the mission of the Church - to reveal to our world, our families, our town, our community, the liberating and exhilarating love of God - as parish.

We are called to do something: to love, but to do it as the unique persons we are: in the time that God gifts us with, and by means of the personal gifts and skills and interests and opportunities - the talents that make us who we are.

We are called to direct our resources, our wealth, our treasure to the Church's mission to make our world a better place, and to replace self-interest and comfort with concern and hospitality and practical actions for compassion and justice.

As I said, something is afoot in the parish at the moment. It is time once more to take stock; and our taking stock is situated within the context of the parish's Planned Giving Campaign -though it is by no means limited to that.

It is time for the three-yearly renewal. It kicks off at parish level with a parish gathering next Wednesday evening in Dunworth Centre at 7.30 pm. This is one gathering which you are all urged to attend - as a sign of belonging, of mutual encouragement, and of hospitality to each other. Just being there, together, gives everyone a shot in the arm.

It will be an opportunity to look back over what you have achieved together over the past three years; to review your present commitment, and, as parish, to plan and prioritise for the future.

In order that the venue can be set up appropriately, name tags be prepared, and hospitality assured, you are asked to indicate your attendance on the clip-boards that will be passed around immediately.