The classic line about the Trinity is don’t try to understand it, our minds just can’t make sense of it; but God who is infinitely wiser knows how he can be one God in three persons. I don’t like to dismiss our seeking some understanding of the essence of God so quickly. The easiest explanation is that they all three have specific jobs or functions. That is known as modalism taught by Sabellius in Rome in the 3rd century. This belief was determined to be heresy in the early church.
So how do we theologize about the Trinity? First, it is important to have some idea of the essence of God. Moses’ first question to God was “What is your name?” or what is your essence? I think it is normal to want to know more about the essence of God (how God exists). That is why I like this picture. We know the three persons from the Bible, but there is a great deal hidden by the light. They all radiate with light together and separately. They share a joint concern (love) for their creation. But they maintain a mysterious aura. They reveal some things but not all. The reason for that is their secret. So perhaps, God does not want his total essence to be known. Except to say that there are three persons in one God.
Throughout Church history, holy people referred to as saints, sought a closer relationship with God. In their quest and in their writings was the consistent proclamation of the three persons in one God. So, we can just thank God for his creation, for his redeeming, and for his perpetual guidance. We receive joy in the ways that God shares his love in our world. We look with joy for the constant presents of God in our lives.
Pastor Gerry