The Trinity – beautiful community.  Matthew 1 – 2

Several nights ago, I went to mass in New York City’s theatre district at St. Malachy’s Church, which actually refers to itself as The Actors’ Chapel.  The beautiful old church, built in 1909, is wedged between theatres and restaurants.  In the evening worship service, the priest even offered prayers for those in the entertainment industry—which, when you think about it, is a great idea.  Come to think of it, one of my readers apparently truly has a heart for entertainers as well, as she recently sent to my post office box three stuffed envelopes with pictures cut out of People magazine ~ Ted Danza, Brittany Spears, Gwyneth Paltrow and many others ~ asking me to pray for them. 

Annnnyway . . . as in many Christian churches around the world, the Nicene Creed was recited at mass.  I think it is beautiful.  Originally adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., please note the theology of the Trinity, as you consider the creed (the underlining is mine):

We believe in one God,? the Father, the Almighty,? maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,? the only son of God,? eternally begotten of the Father,? God from God, Light from Light, ?true God from true God,? begotten, not made,? of one being with the Father.?  Through him all things were made.?  For us and for our salvation? he came down from heaven:?by the power of the Holy Spirit, ?he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,? and was made man.?  For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;? he suffered death and was buried.?  On the third day he rose again? in accordance with the Scriptures;? he ascended into heaven ?and is seated at the right hand of the Father.?  He will come again in glory ?to judge the living and the dead,? and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,?who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].? With the Father and the Son? he is worshipped and glorified.? He has spoken through the Prophets.? We believe in one holy catholic¹ and apostolic Church.?  We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.? We look for the resurrection of the dead,?and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

The doctrine of the Trinity is definitely captured in this early creed of the Christian church.  The word "Trinity" comes from the Latin noun "trinitas" meaning "three are one."²  I remember reading in an early John Ortberg book, (which incidentally I just gave away!) that the Trinity is a community who lives in constant fellowship with one another.³  You and I have been invited into this fellowship of love, which is almost too staggering to comprehend.  Yet, to experience community is to know the true joy of belonging.  How sweet it is—the delight at being known and loved, the opportunity for giving and growing, and the safety of finding a true home.⁴   When you find such a community of love, you want to give yourself to it … you want to fall fearlessly, trustingly into it, as falling backwards into a swimming pool, maybe even with your clothes on.  True community is made possible through our three-in-one God. 

Understanding the relational nature of and within the Godhead    is critical because then we are able to conceptually understand

why God yearns to speak to us and with us.

It is his very essence!

Indeed the life of the Trinity is characterized not by self-centeredness but by mutually self-giving love.⁵  Each person of the Trinity loves, adores, defers to, and rejoices in the others.  That creates a dynamic, pulsating dance of joy and love. 

Once again, as we read about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ in Matthew, it is critical to gain an understanding of the Trinity, and so we sing~

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.⁶

^{1 – “In the fourth century, the term catholic church referred to the body of churches in communion with the bishop of Rome.” Thinkingmatters.org.}

^{2 - Gotquestions.org} 

^{3 – Everybody’s Normal til you Get to Know Them, John Ortberg}

^{4 – Now do you see why I love Ortberg so?} 

^{5 – The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, Tim Keller, 2008.}

^{6 -} Gloria Patri