In the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – 4 June 202

Matthew 28:16–20

The clearest scriptural indication of Christianity's trinitarian God comes to striking expression in this gospel passage through the words of the missionary charge. This missionary command affords a context in which to discuss the diversity of God's revelation to manifold cultures. The experience of God and the communication of that experience constitute a seamless garment with the breadth and richness of the incarnation itself. –– Hilary Hayden

2 Corinthians 13:11–13

These lines from Paul’s first letter to the community at Corinth summarize the most important points of the whole letter. These elements are repentance, mutual encouragement, and harmony (v 11); the affirmation of mutual recognition and communal identity (v 12); and finally the threefold avowal of grace, love, and fellowship from Jesus Christ, God and the Holy Spirit (v 13). Taken as a whole these three verses form an almost perfect theological explication of the trinitarian understanding of the holy One. Verses 11 and 12 guide the community in the realm of how to live and verse 13 designates the divine source by which the guidance is to be followed. . .

The source by which this community will be empowered to do these things is God, and specifi cally the love that God has shown to the community. This is the second element in verse 13 (love of God). By the love God has shown to the community can the community manifest love to one another. Finally, Paul tells the people to be certain to greet one another and be assured that all the holy ones also send greetings. The act of deliberately greeting those with whom we share our living space forms the backbone of unity and forges community. –– Hilary Hayden

Genesis 1:1––2:4a

This account bears some similarities to the Babylonian creation account, enuma elish, but there are notable differences. In particular, unlike the enuma elish, the Genesis account posits no conflict, does not relate the birth of the gods, nor does it suggest that mankind was created to serve the gods. While many readers are familiar with the opening words of Genesis as “In the beginning God created...,” many may not be aware that the preferred translation (cf NAB and NSRV), is “In the beginning, when God created...” This translation implies further that for the writer there was no “creation out of nothing,” but rather God brought order out of chaos.

It is interesting to observe that the term for a watery chaos bears a striking similarity to Tiamat of the Babylonian creation myth, from whomthe world wa created. The term for create is reserved for God, who creates by the word, that is, God speaks and it happens. The reference to the Spirit of God in verse 2 is best understood as the wind of God, not a distinct being. Now although some have found a reference to the trinity in verses 1–3 (God, Spirit, Light), this is untenable. The highlight of the majestic poem is the creation of humankind in the imageof God.

Humankind is placed in a position of responsibility for the creation and in a real sense, the creation continues in the creative activity of men and women. –– Jeffrey Galbraith (Homily Service 41.3 [2008])

Hilary Hayden, O.S.B. (1929-2016), was a monk of St. Anselm’s Abbey, Washington, D.C., a student of classical languages, teacher of Latin and Greek, chaplain to Benedictine sisters in Bristow, associate editor of Homily Service of the Liturgical Conference, and a spiritual advisor.

Jeffrey Galbraith is pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Greenfield, MA, and a professor of business administration at Greenfield Community College.

Homily Service 38, no. 6 (2005): 37–45.