Ah, THIS WEEK we enter the mystery at the very core of our Christian tradition-- TRINITY--three distinct persons in one God. The trinity is the whole of Christian doctrine! We believe in everything else in terms of Trinity; both the Nicene and Apostles Creed are statements of belief in Trinity.
Mystery, remember, is not something unknowable-- so much as that which is infinitely knowable and therefore never fully understood. But it behooves us to seek deeper understanding even as we enter the mystery and let the mystery hold us...
1) Consider using the podcast on Trinity at www.diojeffcity.org as a prayer or meditation
2) As an opening question simply ask: When you hear the word Trinity, what ideas or images come to mind?
3) After reading half of reflection 1, pause and ask the group what especially did they find striking, helpful or confusing in the reading?
4) The catechism quote on p. 28 is thought provoking...no gender in God. Page 30 quote from Us catechism is a good statement of the doctrine of TrinitY... AND THEN ....
5) Consider these insights on Trinity as a communion of love... WOW! We believe in Trinity, a God that is not solitary, but a relationship of love. God is Father, the lover; Jesus is Son, the beloved; Holy Spirit is the love between.
Imagine the most loving relationship you have experienced. The love within the Trinity is beyond that. The Father loves the Son in total self-giving. And the Son loves the Father in return in total self-giving. The Spirit is the love between the two.
The love of God in Trinity is not separate from us or far away. The love within the Trinity flows out into the world and into our lives through the Spirit. We are drawn into this intimate relationship. The God of love draws us into God's very life, a dance of love. This is the essence of the Christian revelation of God. Who can imagine it!
Therefore, we pray not outside of God as petitioners, but inside of God as sharers in a communion of divine love. Prayer is not a leaving of oneself to go to God. Rather it is finding the gift of God's presence within us--filling and stilling our very being. Prayer is a true meeting of ourselves in God and God in us.
6) Closing question: How does it feel to be love by God, intimate withGod in this way?
In gratitude and hope....
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Thank you. I find these hints helpful.
ReplyDeleteIn our group discussion we were wondering about the decendents of Abraham. The Israelites are the decendants of his son Isaac but the mother of his son Ishmael was promised a great nation also. Does not Islam claim to descend from Abraham?
ReplyDeleteIn our group discussion this week, we had two questions raised:
ReplyDelete1. When did the terminology change from "Holy Ghost" to "Holy Spirit" and why?
2. Is there any regulation/policy on dipping the Body of Christ into the Blood of Christ? (This came out of a discussion of ways to prevent spreading flu/illness.)