{"id":2795,"date":"2014-07-21T18:12:10","date_gmt":"2014-07-21T18:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/?page_id=2795"},"modified":"2022-01-12T11:05:33","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T16:05:33","slug":"b-the-most-holy-trinity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/homilies\/cycle-b\/b-the-most-holy-trinity\/","title":{"rendered":"B: The Most Holy Trinity"},"content":{"rendered":"

God in Spaghetti Sauce<\/strong><\/h2>\n
June 15, 2003<\/h5>\n

Matthew 28: 16 – 20<\/h3>\n

The gospel of Matthew ends with that great commission that we just heard in today\u2019s Gospel.\u00a0 The last line of the gospel is a noble and strong promise: \u201cRemember, I am with you always until the end of the age.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus says that he will never leave us.\u00a0 He promises that the God that we adore; Father, Son, and Spirit, will remain with us forever.\u00a0 There are few passages in Scripture that are more encouraging or more important than this one.\u00a0 Our triune God will remain with us always.\u00a0\u00a0 But how does God remain with us?\u00a0 Where do we look to find God\u2019s presence?\u00a0 Certainly we would agree that God is present when we come together like we do here today to pray.\u00a0 We would also recognize that God is present when we do actions of justice and charity in God\u2019s name.\u00a0 But, are there other places in which God is present?\u00a0 Yes, many of them.\u00a0 For example, God can be found in homemade spaghetti sauce.\u00a0 That at least is the testimony given by a woman names Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book, Romancing the Ordinary<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s story is well worth repeating.\u00a0 One night she went out with her husband to eat in a restaurant.\u00a0 Unfortunately one of the heavy ceiling tiles from that restaurant became dislodged and fell on her.\u00a0 She was severely injured.\u00a0 All of her senses were affected.\u00a0 She could no longer taste or smell.\u00a0 Even the quietest of music made her dizzy.\u00a0 She was so sensitive to light that she could barely open her eyes.\u00a0 Her ability to put together simple sentences was almost eliminated.\u00a0 In short, Sarah became helpless, an invalid.\u00a0 Yet this state in which she found herself was the beginning of a journey.<\/p>\n

Here is how she describes it in her book.\u00a0 \u201cMy down time was a perfect opportunity for heaven to get my complete attention.\u00a0 Chief among my discoveries was this, divinity is to be found where you least expect to find it.\u00a0 Moses found his God in a burning bush.\u00a0 I found mine in a pot of homemade spaghetti sauce.\u00a0 Months after my accident, the spaghetti sauce was the first thing I was able to smell distinctly.\u00a0 I could scarcely believe my nose.\u00a0 Euphoric, I followed the strange but familiar fragrance of garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers and oregano down the stairs and into the kitchen.\u00a0 I was practically beside myself with delight. I felt like was standing on holy ground in my own house.\u00a0 I had discovered the miracle of the sacred in the ordinary and from that moment my life would never be the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so grateful to inhale the glorious scent of ordinary life that I was off and running.\u00a0 I went up into the bathroom and got a jar of Vicks VapoRub.\u00a0 Yes, eucalyptus!<\/i>\u00a0 Then I buried my face in some freshly laundered clothes and inhaled the fragrance of a warm shirt.\u00a0 And so it went.\u00a0 For the next few happy weeks I rediscovered life with the same sense of wonder as a small child.\u00a0 Taste came next.\u00a0 Followed by hearing and sight and touch.\u00a0 Each sensory restoration was accompanied by a feeling of rapture and sudden tears.\u00a0 I was astonished and ashamed at my appalling lack of appreciation for what had been right under my nose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s experience was to recognize the sacred in the ordinary, to discover divinity where we do not expect to find it.\u00a0 Why is it that we so often fail to recognize God\u2019s presence in the simple things that surround us?\u00a0 Is it because we\u2019re too busy or preoccupied?\u00a0 Or is it perhaps because we approach with the wrong perspective?\u00a0 Most of us give more attention to what is wrong in life than what is right.\u00a0 Rabbi Kushner wrote a best selling book called Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?\u201d<\/i> He sold million of copies.\u00a0 But, when do we ask ourselves, \u201cWhy do good things happen to bad people?\u201d\u2014or\u00a0 at least to ordinary people like you and me?\u00a0 If tragedy were to strike or we were to experience heartbreak or failure we would be quick to state, \u201cI don\u2019t deserve this!\u201d\u00a0 But, how often, when we rise to greet a new day or hold a child or grandchild in our arms do we say to ourselves, \u201cI don\u2019t deserve this!\u201d?<\/p>\n

God surrounds us in every time and place.\u00a0 God speaks to us in the gentle rustle of leaves and in the wisdom of a dear friend.\u00a0 But we need to be able to listen if we are going to hear what God is saying.\u00a0 God is present in the softness of a baby\u2019s skin or the dampness of the air after a summer storm.\u00a0 But we must be open to sense God\u2019s touch.\u00a0 God\u2019s love is present in the aroma of homemade spaghetti sauce or in the favorite cologne of our spouse.\u00a0 But we must be willing to recognize what is right under our nose.\u00a0 Where do we find divinity?\u00a0 Where do we discover the triune God who loves us and promises always to be close to us?\u00a0 Almost anywhere.\u00a0 But first we must open our eyes.<\/p>\n

Waiting for the Call<\/b><\/h2>\n
June 11, 2006<\/h5>\n

Matthew 28:16-20<\/h3>\n

To be a Christian is to always be \u201con call.\u201d\u00a0 On this feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate the mystery that God: Father, Son, and Spirit, has called us into an intimate relationship of love; has made us God\u2019s own daughters and sons. But that relationship is a two way street: not only do we expect things from God but God expects things from us.\u00a0 God makes us. God saves us. God sends us. God has a plan, a plan for the world, and we are part of that plan. That is why as sons and daughters of God we must always be ready to hear the word \u201cGo\u201d. \u201cGo\u201d is the word that God uses when there is something for us to do. The disciples hear the word in today\u2019s gospel. \u201cGo and make disciples of all the nations.\u201d But this command does not only apply to the first disciples. It applies to all disciples. It applies to us. We must be ready to go.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWait a minute,\u201d you say, \u201cGo where? Do what? Are you sure that God is sending me?\u201d I am sure. To what God is sending you I cannot say, but the fact that God is sending you is not in doubt. Sending is what God does to God\u2019s daughters and sons. God makes us. God saves us. God sends us. If you want to know to what God is sending you, all you need to do is listen.\u00a0We usually do not listen; and because we do not listen we do not hear; and because we do not hear we imagine that we are not being sent. We wake up each day and we plan our own schedule: first I\u2019ll do this, then I\u2019ll do that, and if there\u2019s time, I\u2019ll fit this in. But how often do any of us take a breath and in all honesty ask the question, \u201cLord, is there anything you want me to do today?\u201d<\/p>\n

I dare you to ask that question. Whether you\u2019re in the fourth grade or you\u2019ve just retired, whether you\u2019re married or you\u2019re single, whether you\u2019re healthy or you\u2019re sick\u2014I dare you to ask, \u201cLord, is there anything you want me to do today?\u201d I promise you that if you ask, God will answer. It may be in that moment, or an hour later, or a day later; but if you ask, you will hear God say, \u201cGo. Go to that person at work and tell her.\u00a0 \u201cGo to your friend and ask him. Go to the phone and dial this number. Go to your spouse . . . Go to your daughter . . . Go to your neighbor . . . and do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you dare to listen, you will hear where God is sending you. What you hear might surprise you. Sometimes when you hear what God wants you to do, it does not seem to fit. It does not make sense. You might even suppose that God is confused and is calling the wrong person. If this is the case, feel free to object. The scriptures are full of people who object to God\u2019s call. Moses says, \u201cI can\u2019t go. I don\u2019t even know how to speak.\u201d Jeremiah says, \u201cI can\u2019t go.\u00a0 I\u2019m too young.\u201d Isaiah says, \u201cI can\u2019t go. I\u2019m not holy enough.\u201d Even Mary says, \u201cHow can this be?\u00a0 I\u2019m not married.\u201d It\u2019s okay to object. You have the freedom to argue about where God is sending you. It\u2019s all part of the family drama. As sons and daughters of God, we have the right to question, when it seems that God is sending us on some fool\u2019s errand. Just remember that the fact we can object does not mean that God will change the call. God does not act that way. What God tends to do is listen to our objections and say, \u201cYes, but go anyway, and I will be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

God has a plan, a plan for the world. We are a part of that plan. As sons and daughters of God we must always be ready to be sent. Christians are always \u201con call.\u201d I dare you to listen. I dare you to sincerely ask the question, \u201cLord, is there anything you want me to do today?\u201d If you ask, God will answer, and you will soon find yourself going forth to do your Father\u2019s will.<\/p>\n

Three New Names for God<\/b><\/h2>\n
June 3, 2012<\/h5>\n

Matthew 28:16-20<\/h3>\n

We believe in one God, who is Father, Son, and Spirit.\u00a0 We call this belief the Doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity.\u00a0 The Doctrine of the Trinity stands at the center of our faith. But on this Trinity Sunday I think the most useful question we can ask concerning the Trinity is, “What is the Trinity for?”<\/p>\n

This is an important question because there is a common misunderstanding that somehow the Trinity\u2019s purpose is to clarify our understanding of God. The Trinity really does not do this. Yes, it tells us that God is one, and it tells us that God is Father, Son and Spirit. But it does not explain how God can be one and three at the same time. Therefore, at least part of the purpose of the Trinity is to remind us that we can never fully understand God. God is greater than us and beyond human knowledge.<\/p>\n

The purpose of the Trinity is not to clarify a truth, but to name a mystery. Therefore, as we approach the Trinity, we should not only seek the help of teachers and theologians but also of poets and mystics, because poets and mystics have their own skill in naming a mystery.\u00a0 This what I would like to do with you today. I want to share with you a passage from a Christian mystic about the Trinity. The mystic\u2019s name is Julian of Norwich and in the year 1393 she published a series of visions that she received about the Trinity.<\/p>\n

Here is what she says. (Now remember this is mystical writing so it is not logical.\u00a0 You must be loose and go with it as it as it flows.) Julian says, \u201cGod showed me a little thing the size of a hazelnut lying in the palm of my hand. It was round as any ball and I thought \u2018What can this be?\u2019 My question was answered in general terms: \u2018This is everything that has been made.\u2019 I marveled at how this could be for it seemed it might fall into nothingness, it was so small. An answer for this was given to my understanding: \u2018It lasts and it shall ever last because God loves it.\u00a0 And in this fashion all things have their being by the grace of God.\u2019 So, in this little thing I saw three properties. The first is God made it. The second is God loves it. And the third thing is God keeps it. And what did I see in this? That God is truly the Maker, the Lover and the Keeper.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, notice what Julian of Norwich has done. She has taken the common three names of God, Father Son and Spirit and replaced them with three others: the Maker, the Lover, the Keeper. \u00a0She does not intend to dismiss the common names of the Trinity, for they are a part of the tradition. But she has given these new names to stimulate our thought, so that we might probe the mystery of God.<\/p>\n

If God is Maker, then all that exists and all that we are is here because God wanted it to be here. God made it.\u00a0 If God is Lover, then God gives of God\u2019s self to what has been made. God sacrifices for our salvation and invites us into a relationship. But God is not only Maker and Lover, God is also Keeper. God protects all that is. God preserves all hat has been made. God will never abandon what God has made.<\/p>\n

So God is Maker, and Lover and Keeper. If God can be named by these three names, each one evokes from us a particular response. If God is Maker then we should be people of wonder. We should never take for granted the world around us in all of its beauty and complexity. We should never forget how all that is comes from the hand of God. If God is Lover then we should love in return. If God has given God\u2019s very self for our salvation then our response is to take that love and match it with our own so that we can testify with our love in the lives we live.\u00a0 And if God is Keeper, we should always be people of hope, for God will never give up on us. God will never dismiss or forget us. There will always be a future because God keeps what God has made.<\/p>\n

Is our one God, Father Son and Spirit? Of course, but, God can also be Maker, Lover, and Keeper.\u00a0 And if God can be named in that way, we should be people of wonder and hope, loving God back with all of our strength.<\/p>\n

Doubting Disciples<\/strong><\/h2>\n
May 27, 2018<\/h5>\n

Matthew 28:16-20<\/h3>\n

Today\u2019s gospel is the last passage in the gospel of Matthew. It is the only time in Matthew that the apostles see the risen Christ. It is a beautiful story. Jesus appears to them, and they worship him. But there is one sour note in this passage. It tells us that the apostles not only worshipped Jesus, they also doubted.<\/p>\n

Now why are the apostles doubting? What are the apostles doubting? It is not likely that they are doubting Jesus\u2019 resurrection because they can see the risen Lord with their own eyes. It is more likely that they are doubting what Jesus does next. What the risen Jesus does next is send the apostles to proclaim the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth. He sends them to show others by their words and by their deeds the reality of God\u2019s love. The apostles have reason to doubt the success of that mission, because they know they are weak. There are only eleven of them because one of the twelve, Judas, betrayed the Lord. Peter stands among the eleven but he is very conscious that he denied Jesus three times. All the disciples remember how out of fear they abandoned Jesus and fled during his suffering. No wonder the disciples doubt Jesus\u2019 choice to entrust the kingdom to them.<\/p>\n

Like the disciples we too can doubt Jesus\u2019 choice to entrust the kingdom to us. For, like the eleven, Jesus sends us out into the world to proclaim the goodness of God\u2019s love. Some of us can remember times when we were angry with God, and for a while let go of our faith. Some of us can think of times when we saw someone being belittled or harassed because of his or her race, religion or background, and we did nothing\u2014perhaps even joined in. All of us know that God has given us gifts. Yet we can think of times when we had the opportunity to use the gifts to support someone who was struggling or in need, and we chose our own comfort and security instead. Like the disciples we have reason to doubt. We wonder, \u201cCan I be a good example to my children, and pass on my faith to them? Do I have the courage to be a witness in the workplace, showing others what I believe by my fairness and integrity? Will I have the strength to witness to others in my community that I believe that God is real and that I serve God by serving others?\u201d<\/p>\n

The doubts we have about Jesus\u2019 choice of us are real. This is why Jesus ends the gospel of Matthew with a promise. \u201cBehold, I am with you always.\u201d Jesus does not tell us that our doubt is unfounded. Jesus does not dismiss our weakness as an illusion. Jesus does not promise that we will never fail. What he promises is that he will be with us always\u2014with us in our doubt, with us in our flaws, with us in our weakness. Christ\u2019s presence can compensate for our flaws. Christ\u2019s strength can overcome our weakness. If Christ is with us, then even with our doubts we can go forth and proclaim God\u2019s love to our world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

God in Spaghetti Sauce June 15, 2003 Matthew 28: 16 – 20 The gospel of Matthew ends with that great commission that we just heard in today\u2019s Gospel.\u00a0 The last line of the gospel is a noble and strong promise: \u201cRemember, I am with you always until the end of the age.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus says that … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5879,"featured_media":0,"parent":585,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2795"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5879"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2795"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2795\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5604,"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2795\/revisions\/5604"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildingontheword.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}