The Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Let us pray: God in three persons, blessed Trinity, we pray for peace in the world, in our communities and our families: create in us a love for peace, not peace that is absent from struggle, nor peace that is blind to injustice but the peace that makes whole what now is broken. This we pray in the name of your Son Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen
God is about life with love, a union of the three beings of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A manifestation of the love God has for His children. He has made us His children by the gift of the Holy Spirit. As God’s children what is our task in this time and place. At this moment in our history, we are in a time of deep wounds. So, what is our task? Our task is to become healers, help to heal the deep wounds, deep suspicions, anger, and confusion. Sometimes we might wish we could live in an age of peace and a time without conflict but remember God has placed us here in this time and this place for a purpose. We need to be those healers who can help pull people back, to help restore civility and reason in a period of time when we are all challenged. We can do it. WE CAN DO IT WITH GOD’S HELP! We need to trust in our faith and let our faith override our fear. The Trinity offers us a model of sharing, belonging and community. It also challenges our individualism and our demand that our rights be met all the time. The Trinity asks us to be mindful of our responsibilities to those around us in our families, our neighborhood, and our church community. This follows Jesus’ own instructions in which he underlines the necessity of doing what he teaches and not merely paying lip service. Our actions should reflect our beliefs. Statements of faith are important within communities, but Matthew reminds us that faith without appropriate behavior is empty. The Trinity also shows a loving God that is willing to become as we are so that we may become like Him, like Him as in His son Jesus. Consider The doctrine of the Trinity as a gracious gift of God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, though they have existed for eternity in perfect communion and fellowship with one another. As God, He saw fit to extend the divine fellowship to creation. God has graciously revealed himself to us as he truly is – the blessed Trinity. So today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, together with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
As we close let us pause and reflect on The Trinity as a unifying catalyst. One that will help guide us, one that can bring us together, one that provides us with Hope and gives us the courage to go out into the world as healers. Matthew closes with what is perhaps one of the most comforting statements in Scripture. Jesus, as Lord of all, promises to be with us, the church, always, even until the end of everything. This continuing, abiding presence of Jesus is a profound promise. So, it is important to see that there can be wonderful possibilities for the future, optimism about the future – we can see the many unrealized possibilities and hope based on the creativity and inexhaustible wealth of possibilities God offers.
Let us Pray: Dear God, we pray on this Trinity Sunday that the world will see that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can bring us together as you have brought the Trinity together as one. Unit us as God’s children and show us the wonderful possibilities you can give us, We pray this in your name Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
Reflections by Bob 