Lectionary Reading Trinity Sunday
Introduction: In this set of readings we remember how God created all things. We remember how right from the beginning God’s grace blessed his people with a covenant of authority. The readings also remind us that it was the action of the Spirit that enlivened all things and that empowering continues on until this age should end.
Read Genesis 1:1-2:4a. In the readings for Pentecost we read about the activity of the Spirit bringing life and power to the disciples and so to the whole church. In today’s reading we see again the creative energy of the Spirit moving to bring order into the whole of creation. God is in action with and by the Spirit and so Creator, Word and Spirit work together in unison and harmony to bring into being an orderly creation. Part of that created order is the privilege and responsibility given to human beings. The completion of creation brings rest and God declares that it is all good. The creation is viewed as a living vibrant whole and humanity’s task is to maintain its well being. The authority that human beings are given is to ensure that the “good creation” remains good and that rest will be available to all. Rest in this sense is not inactivity but creation itself operating together in unison and harmony. As creation brought order out of chaos, so under God’s given authority everything in creation works together so that chaos is no more.
Prayer. Lord we recognise that your creation is wonderful and moment by moment speaks out praise of you. Help us to recognise the beauty and yet the fragility of what you have created. Help us to treat the whole creation with a care which reflects honour to you. May we take nothing for granted but work to sustain and protect each aspect of this home in which we live, a home specially built to care for life. May we play our part in the gracious covenant that you have made with all your people. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Read Psalm 8. This psalm is a great way to continue thinking about the lead up to Trinity Sunday. The psalmist has an awe inspired vision of God. Not only does God’s glory fill the whole earth, the whole of creation is so filled that creation itsself gives expression to the glory of God. Then the psalmist’s attention turns to humanity and recalls how good God is by restating the covenant which the Creator made with humanity from the very birth of creation. Under the sovereignty of God humanity commands great authority by being made, “a little less than God”. In the reading above we noted that humanity is made in the image of God, being made in the image of God is expressed by two parallel ideas. Firstly, the image of God recognises the human capability to respond to God and to enter into relationship with God. Secondly, being made in the image of God signals the responsibility to respond to God and live in obedience with God. Viewing the image of God in in such a way reminds us that people occupy a high place in God’s creation. Following on from yesterday’s thoughts we see that all people are God’s representatives on earth, the possessors of God-given power and under God’s control exercise authority over creation. As the psalmist affirms, all people have been crowned “with glory and honour” Whether “all’ people pick up this responsibility of exercising authority is another question all together but like it or not, respond to it or not, we are called to steward all of God’s creation on his behalf.
Prayer. Lord we stand and wonder at your love for us, for indeed we are often the most unlovable of creatures; we think often of our own needs and neglect the needs of others, we look down on those whom we consider inferior, often without reason and yet we pretend that we are as one with you. Nevertheless in your love, you embrace us with an unending love and your forgiveness pours down over us constantly. You have without a doubt crowned us with glory and honour. As we face the reality of your love we bow in humility and can do nothing more than to accept your love. Through the power of your love help us to be filled with your peace and grant us the grace to walk as effective ambassadors for you: fulfilling all that you require of us as we relate to the other creatures that you have equally crowned with glory and honour. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect: Almighty and eternal God, you have revealed yourself as father, Son and Holy Spirit. Enable us to live by the Spirit, that, walking with Christ and rejoicing in your fatherly love we may become partakers of the mystery of your divine being, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, three persons in one indivisible God, for ever and ever. Amen
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