worship of their assemblies, and sending them forth to do His work in the world, all the while never leaving them alone. In each of these realities - the Fatherhood of God, the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, and the continued presence of God in the Holy Spirit - the early Christians knew that God was fully present. And yet, each was a very distinct reality from the other.

It may be that when we try to wrap our minds around the Trinity, we're going about it all wrong. We're treating God as "Something" to be dissected and analyzed. What if we were to recognize that God is so much bigger than us, and allow ourselves to be drawn into the life of the Trinity, a life of perfect love among the Persons of the Trinity for Each Other, and for us. Instead of trying to analyze how God can be all Three Persons and yet One, maybe we should look at it from the other direction - experiencing the Father, and knowing He is fully and truly God. Living in a relationship with Jesus Christ, and knowing Him to be fully and truly God. Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and knowing Him to be fully and truly God. This, after all, was the experience of the first Christians.

I challenge you to the following questions:

n How have you come to know God as Father? How have you experienced God active as the Lord and Creator of the Universe, the One who keeps order in your life and in our world, the One who created you in His image and likeness?

n How have you come to know God the Son? How have you experienced God in Jesus Christ, as He has joined you to Him in Baptism, as He comes to you in Holy Communion? What have you learned from His teaching about the Kingdom of God? What does it mean that God has taken on your flesh and blood, sanctified your human nature, become your Brother and Friend, as well as Lord, Savior and Judge?

n How have you come to know God the Holy Spirit? How have you come to know God as the One Who is not only "up there" running the universe, or as One Who walked the Earth 2000 years ago, but is with you now, leading you into all truth? What does it mean to you that He is present with your brothers and sisters in Christ to reconcile you to them, and to keep you held together in Him?

Of course we'll never fully "get" the mystery of the Trinity! We can never wrap our minds around just Who God is completely. But not only can we know what He has told us of Himself; we can also know the truth of the Trinity because, as Christians, we live it! Along with Luther, We know God as the One Who "has created [us] and all that exists." We know "that Jesus Christ - true God, Son of the Father from eternity, and true Man, born of the Virgin Mary - is [our] Lord." And we know God as the One Who "has called [us] through the Gospel, enlightened [us] with His gifts, and sanctified and kept [us] in true faith." [excerpts from the Small Catechism]



    In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
                 Pr. Bill+