TRINITY SUNDAY 2014

We just heard the  bible story of the Lost Son.  Here is a modern day version of that same story:            An old father living alone in the country wanted to plant his pepper garden, but the ground was too hard and he was too old to do the work. His only son,  who use to help him,  was in prison for robbing a bank. The old man sent an email to his son, saying: "Dear Jake, I’ve been very depressed lately because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my peppers this year. You know how much your mother loves planting peppers this time of year, but I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.. I know you would have been happy to dig the plot for me." Love, Dad  

·       That afternoon, the father received an email reply from his son :"Dear Dad, Don’t dig up that garden! That’s where I buried the THINGS!" Love, Jake    Well4am the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area looking for the THINGS. They apologized to the old man after not finding anything and left.

·       The next day the old man received another email from his  son. "Dear Dad, Happy Father’s Day! Go ahead and plant your peppers now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances." Love, Jake 

Not infrequently, our national  holiday of Father’s Day coincides with the church’s Trinity Sunday.  And by reflecting upon the grace of fatherhood, we can learn so much about our Trinitarian God--—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  You see, these are the 3 faces of God’s love for us  all.

Earlier in today’s service, we recited the canticle of  St. Patrick, which beautifully describes the wonder of our Creator God as manifest  –the earth beneath our feet and the heavens above us—which the Bible says that He made just for us.   The act of building and creating can be a solemn act.   When I was a young child, I learned about the joy and love of creating things:  Beginning at age 3 up until age 11 or so, I loved following  my father around on  Saturdays,  as we made home repairs and improvements. Our biggest project was finishing our attic, which eventually became my bed room. In that attic, my father  taught me how to hammer nails, to saw wood, to drill holes, to screw screws, to plaster sheet rock, to lay linoleum, and to paint walls.  I remember feeling so proud, because I had helped my Dad.  [However, it was not until years later , when my son helped me on similar projects, that I later learned that I really had not helped my father out that much.  You see, when little Patrick helped me with chores, they took twice the time that they would have normally taken if I had done them by myself.}

God’s love is expressed by the act of creating—and he calls us to share in that Holy works by building up our lives,  our homes, our families, our neighborhoods, our churches, and our nation-- all the work of our hands, hearts, and minds.

So next, let’s turn to God the Son.  As you know, by his death on the cross he changed the world by releasing  God forgiveness .  Now  this is a central tenant of faith, but  the full meaning of this forgiveness can become so abstract to us, that it loses its significance e. When forgiveness is a “head thing” and not a “heart thing,” it can feel   distant and remote from daily experience   That is, unless, you have really been forgiven of something that you did wrong, for which you are truly sorry.   Growing up in church, I really did not think too much about forgiveness, because in my own eyes, I never did anything really  bad……until about age 20, when I got stoned and was stopped by the police.

·       My friend, Bruce, who was also stoned, drove his car off the road and totaled it.  Miraculously, neither of us were hurt.

·       Now Bruce received the hell he deserved, first from the police and then from his parents, who came to the scene of the accident.  However, since I had not been driving—I got off scott free at the time.

However, I knew that Bruce’s parents would tell mine, so when I arrived home at 4am that morning, my father was at the door to greet me. Now, most of the time, my father was a hard and a stern man, who never spared the rod. To be honest, my father was an abusive alcoholic who would rant and rage whenever my brother and I did anything wrong.  So, I was expecting that he’d chew off my hind side.  PAUSE However, that was not the case.  Much to my surprise, he remained very calm, inquiring about my health.  He could hear that I was truly sorry for my bad judgment, which could have hurt or killed me.  He told me that he forgave me …and he never brought up the subject ever again.    This incident just shows how even vey flawed Fathers can be instruments of God’s grace.  And , indeed, that night I prayed for and received God’s forgiveness—which totally changed my life from that point on.   Forgiveness can positively change lives for ever….So, just as Christ has forgiven us, He calls us to share His love by forgiving others.

                                                                                             

Finally, God the Holy Spirit:  Today’s reading from the letter to the Galatian Christians says that God the Holy Spirit expresses his love for us by empowering us all to serve others. Please repeat after me:

·       Be motivated by God’s service.

·       For everything we know from God’s word // is summed up in this//

Use your freedom//to serve one another in love.

Now during the past 2 Sundays, we have talked about serving one another in the church.  But, today,  I want to look at the idea of a life style of service.  Serving others  can be a defining principle in one’s life, as it has been in my family.

·       Growing up, I loved to hear of the heroic exploits of my great grandfather, Major Robert Donnelly.  Although he was from Tennessee, which was a Confederate State  in the Civil war, Great grandpa  enlisted in the Union Army, because he thought that slavery was wrong. As a child, I grew to admire this hero, who could have played it safe—but who chose to serve instead.

·       His son, my grandfather, choose a life of honorable public service to our country.

·       My father served in World war 2, and  actively volunteered in his local community by founding & establishing  a mental health service clinic to serve  low income families.

·       My service, outside of being a priest, has  been serving as a Community Chaplain with hospice, the police department, and now with the Oxford Fire Dept.

·       And finally, that desire to serve the common good has come down to my son, who for many years has served as a very committed  environmental activist.

While service can be its own reward,  it  also produces side  benefits.  You see, when I decide to put my heart into  doing good deeds, I become less preoccupied with my own little problems, complaints and anxieties. This is one of the spiritual laws of the universe—doing good for others automatically releases a stream of blessing into your heart, which washes away the blues.   . Hallelujah!!

We worship a gracious God whose love is unending for us—and who chooses imperfect, flawed people---like our parents, and like  us, to shine the love of Christ into the world.

·       So, be positive—create and build like the Father.

·       Be merciful—forgive others like the Son.

·       Do good—and receive unexpected blessings to elevate your mood & life.

In thanksgiving, please now stand,   face the altar cross, and repeat after me:

To Him be the power,/////the glory and the majesty/////, from this day forth //// and forevermore. Amen.       FJ: Amen. Let it be this way.

Service continues as we affirm our faith in our one God , with 3 faces, by reciting the Nicene  Creed

·       8:00 am  p. 326

·       10:00     p. 358