RoboPreacher

Matthew 3:13-17 Prayer : Lord, may the words of my lips, and the meditations of all our hearts fulfill all righteousness, O Lord. Amen. I remember my baptism. Or at least I think I do. I may have looked at the picture so many times that I have formed a memory out of it. Anyway, I don’t remember this because I was an infant with an extraordinary memory. I remember this because I wasn’t baptized as an infant. Nope, my mom wasn’t really going to church when I was born, so I wasn’t baptized. Four years later, though, my little brother, Cody, was born. At this point, my Dad’s mom, my grandmother insisted we get baptized. I never heard the conversation myself, but when I was older my Mom told me about it. She told me how my grandmother insisted my brother and I be baptized to stay out of hell. I mean, heaven forbid, what if something should happen to Cody, or me? My Mom was, and is, and excellent theologian. She knew better. My Mom, more importunately, is also a good daughte...

As Trinity Sunday draws nearer I keep thinking of different things to post. I wish I had thought of them sooner. Anyway, here is the Athanasian Creed. This creed is typically (only) read on Trinity Sunday. It's reputation of being lengthy and a little confusing are deserved. This confession addresses the ancient heresy of Arianism (the relation of the persons of the Trinity). That being said: "Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; an...

Lately we've been touching on how the Trinity is involved in liberation, but we haven't spoken to it exactly. Here are some specific words from Gustavo Guti é rrez: "The Gospel is, therefore, 'that divine secret kept in silence for long ages but now disclosed... made known to all nations, to bring them to faith and obedience.' (Rom. 16:25-26). This mystery is the love of the father ( sic ), who 'loved the world so much that he gave his only son' (John 3:16) in order to call all humans, in the Spirit, to communion with God. Human beings are called together, as a community and not as seperate individuals, to participate in the life of the Trinitarian community, to enter into the circuit of love that unites the persons of the Trinity. This is a love which builds up human society in our history." (Obviously I would like to expand Guti érrez's vision to include human environment.) I think there is a lot to take in here. What is helpful? Wha...