Here three meditations from our Trinity Sunday service taken from the Lectionary readings. These can be used for personal devotions or set up as three stations in a group setting. We divided into groups and spent about ten minutes at each one.
Trinity – God the Father
Setting: Places to sit, a vase of greenery, a block of soft clay, instruction sheets.
Instruction
Take a piece of clay and find a seat or walk outside and read through this ancient song to the Great Father, making it your own.
Psalm 8
Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark (defensive wall) because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;4what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
God’s hands. Our feet.
Take the clay and make a print from something in nature as you reflect on God’s hand print in all creation. Bring it back to the display inside for us all to enjoy.
Take a seat somewhere and look at your feet. Invite the Spirit to remind you of some things that have been placed ‘under your feet’ or the lives that you have influence/power over in the week to come. This may be in your work, relationships, purchases etc. Place your hands on your feet and invite the Spirit to guide your steps as you participate with God in the care of the universe.
Trinity – God the Spirit
Setting: Places to sit, a bowl or tray of sand in the centre, candles, lighter, a cross, fabric torn in strips, instruction sheets.
Instruction
Light a candle, find a seat and read through two moments from this letter to the Corinthian church, reflecting on its wisdom.
2 Corinthians 13:5-14
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!
…Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
2 Corinthians 13:5-14 The Message (MSG)
Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it…
And that’s about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. All the brothers and sisters here say hello.14 The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
Relationship
As with any of our relationships, we read in the scriptures that we treat the Spirit of Jesus in many ways. For example, we see Him lied to and tempted (Acts 5:3-4,9), resisted (Acts 7:51), grieved (Eph 4:30) and outraged (Heb 10:29).
As you watch the flickering flame, invite the Spirit of Jesus to search and examine the health of your friendship at this time. Wait quietly and acknowledge anything that comes to you.
Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as his other self (John14:16-17) whose presence with the disciples will be of greater advantage than his own physical company. To invite the Spirit into our lives is to have Christ (Romans 8:9-12) living and working in us (14:26,16:7) enabling us to live in peace with one another.
Where do you need the Spirit to bring peace in your relationships? Take a piece of cloth for each relationship on your heart and tie it onto the cross as you pray for God’s peace.
Trinity – God the Son
Setting: Places to sit, food and drink, paper plates, coloured markers, instruction sheets.
Instruction
Make yourself a plate of food and read through this account of Jesus’ band of followers seeing him one of the final times before he left.
Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 The Message (MSG)
Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
Effort & Invitation
Galilee was quite the hike from Jerusalem. It was an effort to get to for the disciples. Jesus’ friends had seen him several times at Jerusalem after his death, they had seen him themselves, and talked with him in private, but this was a community gathering he had asked them to.
In Jesus’ way there was a time for intimate teaching and blessing over meals, walks and hillside retreats and a time for community teaching and blessing in churches, homes and open air events. As you eat and drink, reflect on the time you give to the teaching and blessing of Jesus privately and in community. Invite the Holy Spirit to encourage you in this.
Jesus’ community is about bringing others – including all of creation – into the gracious, growing, interconnected, life-sharing, just and creative communion of the Trinity. Take a plate (that no one will see) and draw or write or scribble on it as you reflect on Jesus’ commission and promise. Listen deeply about your part in creating a welcoming community this season. Take your plate with you and follow through on any ideas that come to you.
By Emma Morgan