There's a saying that "anyone who preaches on the Trinity for more than three minutes will lapse into heresy." And this because the Trinity is a mystery we can name - but cannot fully comprehend. As soon as we begin speaking about the Trinity, human language, inadequate for revealing let alone explaining this mystery, opens us to making statements that are neither true nor reflective of more than 2,000 years of faith and Church teaching.
Our Lutheran friends have produced a short, lighthearted and entertaining video that explains this quite well. If you follow the link here - be sure to watch until the end!
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
So I've decided not to risk writing an heretical prayer for Trinity Sunday! Instead, I offer you a prayer by theologian Karl Rahner. In response to his own prayerful question, Rahner he names neither the Trinity nor the Persons in it - but you'll recognize, nonetheless, the Father, Son and Spirit in his words. Wisely, Rahner does not answer his own question - apart from finally naming our triune God as Love - as we find so eloquently stated in 1 John 4.
Here, then, is Rahner's prayer:
What can I say to you, my God?
Shall I collect together all the words
that praise your holy Name?
Shall I give you all the names of this world
- you, the Unnameable?
Shall I call you
"God of my life,
meaning of my existence,
hallowing of my acts,
my journey's end,
my journey's end,
bitterness of my bitter hours,
home of my loneliness,
home of my loneliness,
you my most treasured happiness"?
Shall I say:
"Creator, Sustainer, Pardoner,
Near One, Distant One,
Near One, Distant One,
Incomprehensible One,
God both of flowers and stars,
God of the gentle wind
God both of flowers and stars,
God of the gentle wind
and of terrible battles,
Wisdom, Power, Loyalty, and Truthfulness,
Eternity and Infinity, you the All-merciful,
you the Just One,
Wisdom, Power, Loyalty, and Truthfulness,
Eternity and Infinity, you the All-merciful,
you the Just One,
you - Love itself!"
Be with me, God of Love,
Father, Son and Spirit,
as you are one, be one with me,
most Holy Trinity.
Amen.
Here's Rachmaninoff's Glory to the Trinity where, I believe,
he succeeds in not lapsing into heresy! This powerful peace ends
with intercessory prayer.
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
both now and ever and to the ages of ages
Amen
Only begotten Son, Word of the Father
Who art immortal
Thou didst vouchsafe for our salvation
to become incarnate of the Holy Spirit
upon the Virgin Mary
Changeless essence
lo, Thou wast made very man
and crucified, Thou the GodMan
to vanquish death by dying
Thou alone, O Christ art glorified
in the Trinity with Father and Holy Spirit.
O save us…
both now and ever and to the ages of ages
Amen
Only begotten Son, Word of the Father
Who art immortal
Thou didst vouchsafe for our salvation
to become incarnate of the Holy Spirit
upon the Virgin Mary
Changeless essence
lo, Thou wast made very man
and crucified, Thou the GodMan
to vanquish death by dying
Thou alone, O Christ art glorified
in the Trinity with Father and Holy Spirit.
O save us…
Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord
Lord, have mercy upon us
Help us, save us, have mercy on us
and keep us O God by Thy grace
Lord, have mercy upon us
Let us entrust ourselves and each other
and all our life unto Christ our God
To Thee, O Lord, we cry
For Thou art a good God
and lovest mankind
and unto thee w render
Lord, have mercy upon us
Help us, save us, have mercy on us
and keep us O God by Thy grace
Lord, have mercy upon us
Let us entrust ourselves and each other
and all our life unto Christ our God
To Thee, O Lord, we cry
For Thou art a good God
and lovest mankind
and unto thee w render
Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
both now and ever
and to ages of ages
Amen
