Sermon by Stuart Pike

Photo Credit: John Workman on Flickr.com

Sermon Text:

There were four priests, taking a short break from their heavy schedules, sitting on a park bench, chatting and enjoying an early spring day. “You know, since all of us are such good friends,” said one, “this might be a good time to discuss personal problems.” They all agreed. “Well, I would like to share with you the fact that I drink to excess,” said one, “and sometimes, I’ve taken a nip or two from the communion wine.” There was a sharp intake of breath from the other three. Then another spoke up. “Since you were so honest, I’d like to say that my big problem is gambling. It’s terrible, I know, but I can’t quit. I’ve even been tempted to take money from the collection plate.” Another gasp was heard, and the third priest spoke. “I’m really troubled, brothers, because I’ve started to have a little dalliance with a woman in my church – a married woman.” More gasps. But the fourth remained silent. After a few minutes the others coaxed him to open up. “The fact is,” he said, “I just don’t know how to tell you about my problem.” “It’s all right, brother. Your secret is safe with us,” said the others. “Well, it’s this way,” he said. “You see, I’m just such an incurable gossip!”

And now I must admit to you that I don’t really know why I decided to start today’s sermon off with that story, except that it is such a good one, and I have been waiting to use it for quite some time. And, I suppose, that it underscores the fact that so much of our lives are about relationships. They are about friendships, love, needs, hopes, drives. Even when things are amiss in people’s lives, and there is anger, jealousy, deception, and certainly gossip: most of that is still about relationships.

We are social animals - even when we are anti-social. Relationship is usually at the heart of the matter. We spend a lot of our energy simply trying to figure out how other people work. And sometimes, as we get older, we need to spend some time figuring out how we work - how we’re put together.

Today is Trinity Sunday - the Sunday after Pentecost when we celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit. On Trinity Sunday, we think about the great mystery of God - that God is one, and yet God is three.

The Church has traditionally spoken of God in the three terms of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For most of us, that presented a problem for us from our Sunday School days right us to the present.

I remember the questions I used to have as a kid: If Jesus, the son, is God, then who was he praying to when he prayed to the Father? Was God being Father and Son and Holy Sprit at the same time? And if not, then who was looking after the universe when God was being Jesus? Did Jesus know he was God?

Mine was an enquiring mind which just wanted to know. What I discovered was that there didn’t seem to be an answer to the Trinity mystery for me. Nothing adequately explained the doctrine in logical terms. Nothing fully made sense to me.

It has only been after having preached and prayed through many a Trinity Sunday that I come to understand that the concept of the Trinity isn’t an explanation of the nature of God, but our relationship with God. If once I thought that I would understand how God is put together, I now know that isn’t going to happen. But I can understand more about how I have experienced God, and how other people have experienced God.

The writer of today’s lesson from proverbs understands God as holy wisdom. This image has often been associated with the Holy Spirit. The writer spea