Matthew 28:16-20- " Trinity Sunday: Holy Dance Divine"

Synopsis:

In what is know by many as the Great Commission, Jesus sends his disciples into the world on mission but not alone. He sends them in the fellowship of the Trinity, in one of the rare moments in scripture where the trinitarian formula is shared. This concept will create the first major theological debates in the Early Church, but the core of the trinitarian controversy is a question of relationship. Is God, how the Greek Philosophers imagined God, a Prime Mover, pure, distance, and untouched by humans suffering? Or, is God as the Hebrews confessed and as Jesus revealed, a God marked by cruciform love, eternally committed to relationship with the children of God and creation itself? Jesus sends his disciples not on a mission to promote a new religion, but to announce the Good News that God invites the whole of creation, neighbors and enemies, strangers and family, into the trinitarian dance of love.

John 12:1-8 - “A Worthy Investment”

Mary pours a ridiculously expensive perfume on Jesus as an act of love, devotion, and preparation for his imminent death. Judas, who John does not give any grace, grumbles about how she should have sold it and given the proceeds away to the poor (with the possibility that Judas wanted to take a cut). Jesus speaks the cringe-worthy words which have justified so many careless, callous Christians to ignore the God-given social contract of care for the poor. Jesus, who reads the Isaiah scroll declaring himself to be a champion for the marginalized, honors Mary’s gift and shames Judas, because there will always be more work to do, more care to give, more needs to meet, and more justice to seek. Life is not just about doing or accomplishing or fixing, but also about resting in the lavish love and peace of God. Sabbath means we work six days and then we rest, and Judas tried to embarrass Mary by taking the seventh day to celebrate that Jesus was still with them, even if only for a little while longer. The broader way of Lent is not just about suffering and self-denials but also taking the opportunity to soak in Christ’s love and presence in extravagant ways.

Art by Julia Stankova of Bulgaria

"Keep the Party Going" - John 2:1-11

Jesus comes to bring joy and honor to humanity. In the wedding feast, not only does he allow the celebration to continue, he covers the potential shame of the host who has run out of wine. A flourishing faith life is not about obligation or regulation, but rather is about learning to lean into God’s goodness by living with radical hospitality in all of our relationships across cultural, identity, and gender divisions.