Jack Hardaway
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The problem with the Trinity is also it’s great beauty, it isn’t like anything else. Words fail. Analogies crash and burn. Comparisons collapse.
The doctrine of the Trinity is really a teaching about not being able to teach. Staring into the infinite distance and slowly growing silent and still.
So many people tell me that they don’t understand the Trinity, and my response is, “That means you understand it perfectly.”
So why even have a doctrine, a teaching, about something that is beyond our capacity? Why? What’s the point? A doctrine about being wrong, about not getting it?
Humility before the mystery of God. The mystery of unity and diversity. The mystery of closeness and distance. Humility before the mystery of love, that God is so involved in the stuff of creation. Humility before God’s humility, suffering in, with and for the world.
There is a great conversation in the movie, Shakespeare in Love,
Philip Henslowe:
Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
Hugh Fennyman:
So what do we do?
Philip Henslowe:
Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.
Hugh Fennyman:
How?
Philip Henslowe:
I don’t know. It’s a mystery.
There it is, humility before the mystery of drama, God’s drama, the theater of God’s involvement in the world.
It is ultimately about love, the mystery of being for someone else.
Do we understand each other? Probably not. We might pretend to. Do we even understand ourselves?
But do we love each other?
Humility before the mystery of love.
The doctrine of the Trinity is really the doctrine of love.
Growing silent and still before the mystery of love.
Words fail. There is nothing else like it.
Love. Then love again, then yet again. Round and round, like a dance, except not like a dance.
Words fail. Analogies crash and burn. Comparisons collapse.
Love anyway, love always, love the mystery.
Holy, holy, holy.
Amen. Amen. Amen.