Seeker

Trying to explain the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity is like trying to pour the sea into a hole in sand, using only a small bucket. That bucket could never contain the whole mystery of the one God, who is Creator, Redeemer and Life-Giver. Here's a story I like for Trinity Sunday: A child dug a hole in a beach. She ran to the sea, filled her beach bucket with water and excitedly brought it back to fill the hole. The water gradually seeped into the sand and disappeared. Undaunted, she went back for more. The same thing happened. Over and over again she ran to the sea, filled her bucket and poured water into the hole. In spite of all her efforts she discovered that she couldn’t fill the hole. The child began to cry. Her father comforted her and pointed out that the tide was coming in and this would change things. Her father helped her dig a channel towards the sea, so that with the incoming tide, the water would flow into the hole and fill it. Those of us ...

Explaining the elephant 6 people visited a zoo. They’d been told about elephants. The explanations confused them. They needed to experience an elephant. As they were blind, they used their hands to feel the elephant. “Elephant is like a wall” said the one stroking the elephant’s side. “No, elephant isn’t like a wall, elephant is like a rope”, said the one clutching the tail. “A rope? No, elephant is like a sheet” said the 3 rd, holding the ear. “Elephant is like a soft, thick hose” said the 4 th , grasping the trunk. “ No, elephant is like a tree” s aid the 5 th , his arms wrapped around a leg. “Elephant is definitely like a solid pipe,” said the 6 th , holding a tusk. What's an elephant story got to do with Trinity Sunday? Well, sometimes preachers try to explain the doctrine of the Trinity. After all this is the only special Sunday in the year when the focus is on a doctrine rather than an event. I'm relieved not to be preaching to...

I love the way Ian Burt has captured the light seen through the dove's wings in this photo and then snipped the dove's outline and placed it on a dark background. A dove is a powerful symbol, perhaps most universally recognized as a sign of peace. For Christians the dove is also one of the many symbols of the Holy Spirit of God, the Life-Giver. The reason for this is because of the gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan by his cousin John the Baptist. The Baptism of Christ is celebrated today, the Sunday following the Feast of the Epiphany. Here is what Luke writes about Jesus' baptism:  "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."  Luke 3: 21-22 Something mysterious is revealed in Christ's baptism. It...