Devotion for Trinity Sunday, Year A (ILCW Lectionary)

Above:  Icon of the Holy Trinity, by St. Andrei Rublev

Image in the Public Domain

The Abstract, the Tangible, and the Mysterious

JUNE 4, 2023

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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)

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Genesis 1:1-2:3 or Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40

Psalm 29 (LBW) or Psalm 135 (LW)

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Matthew 28:16-20

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Almighty God our Father,

dwelling in majesty and mystery,

renewing and fulfilling creation by your eternal Spirit,

and revealing your glory through our Lord Jesus Christ: 

Cleanse us from doubt and fear,

and enable us to worship you,

with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God,

living and reigning, now and forever.  Amen.

OR

Almighty and ever-living God,

you have given us grace,

by the confession of the true faith

to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity

and, in the power of your divine majesty,

to worship the unity. 

Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship,

and bring us at last to see you in your eternal glory,

one God, now and forever.  Amen.

—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 24

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Almighty and everlasting God,

since you have given us, your servants,

grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity

by the confession of a true faith,

and to worship the true Unity in the power of your divine majesty,

keep us also steadfast in this true faith and worship,

and defend us from all our adversaries;

for you, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign,

one God, now and forever.  Amen.

—Lutheran Worship (1982), 61

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ALTA TRINITA BEATA

High and blessed Trinity,

By us always adored.

Glorious Trinity,

Marvelous unity,

You are savory manna

and all that we can desire.

–Medieval, Anonymous

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One may use the word “mystery” in at least two ways.  One may think of a situation in which gathering more information will eliminate confusion and enable arriving at a firm answer.  The Holy Trinity is a mystery, but not in that way.  Even if we mere mortals had all the information about the nature of God, we could not understand it.  We can barely grasp what we do know, and what we know raises more questions than it resolves.  So be it.  The second meaning of “mystery” is an ancient definition:  One can know something only by living into it.  One can know God by faith, for example.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity is the only Christian feast of a doctrine.  It is more than that, though.  Lutheran minister and liturgist Philip H. Pfatteicher recommends thinking of Trinity Sunday as:

…the celebration of the richness of the being of God and the occasion of a thankful review of the now completed mystery of salvation, which is the work of the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.

—Commentary on the Lutheran Book of Worship:  Lutheran Liturgy in Its Ecumenical Context (1990), 301

A doctrine–especially the Holy Trinity–can seem abstract.  Some people (including moi) like abstractions.  However, abstractions leave others cold and spiritually unmoved.  Salvation is not abstract, however; it is tangible.  And how it works is a mystery in at least the second meaning of the word.

Happy Trinity Sunday!

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 27, 2022 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF GEORGE WASHINGTON DOANE, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF NEW JERSEY; AND HIS SON, WILLIAM CROSWELL DOANE, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF ALBANY; HYMN WRITERS

THE FEAST OF SAINTS ANTONY AND THEODOSIUS OF KIEV, FOUNDERS OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX MONASTICISM; SAINT BARLAAM OF KIEV, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT; AND SAINT STEPHEN OF KIEV, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT AND BISHOP

THE FEAST OF CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, POET AND RELIGIOUS WRITER

THE FEAST OF SAINTS REMACLUS OF MAASTRICHT, THEODORE OF MAASTRICHT, LAMBERT OF MAASTRICHT, HUBERT OF MAASTRICHT AND LIEGE, AND FLORIBERT OF LIEGE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT LANDRADA OF MUNSTERBILSEN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBESS; AND SAINTS OTGER OF UTRECHT, PLECHELM OF GUELDERLAND, AND WIRO, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES

THE FEAST OF SAINT ZITA OF TUSCANY, WORKER OF CHARITY

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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA

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