At the Heart of Reality

[Sermon by Bill Lewellis, Trinity Sunday, 2004

Clues to the most profound mysteries of life – who we are, why we are, where we are going, how we are meant to live – may be embedded in our DNA… that double-helix spiral staircase that has inspired scientists and artists and theologians over the past half century.

Two children were playing at the beach. At water’s edge, they were building a sand castle with gates and tower and moat. When they had nearly finished, a wave came along and knocked it down.

One might have expected the children to cry. Instead, they ran up the shore away from the water. They laughed and held hands. They sat down once again on the sand, to build another castle.

Every-thing we create in this world is built on sand. Sooner or later, the wave comes. Only relationships endure, relationships we nurture and give our heart to. Perhaps not all relationships – but still we can say that only relationships, as opposed to things, endure. Children somehow know this… until they are taught, here and there, all that other stuff about things?

My money is on this: the most profound mystery embedded in our DNA, the most profound clue to the heart of life, is that we are created to be in relationship.

The most introverted persons among us yearn deeply for shared intimacy – even if that yearning is not acknowledged until after breakfast. We need others. We need others to affirm us in the mystery of our persons. We need others to reach our potential. We need others because we need to give and to receive, to share, to shore up and to be supported, to love. If we ignore this most profound mystery, we may walk this life among the living dead.

That we are created for life together, for intimacy, for giving, for loving, has its basis in the divine mystery we call Trinity: the shared, giving, loving life together of God whom we name Father/Mother, Son and Holy Spirit. The sacred mystery of community really does trickle down.

Religion is about relationship. Relationship is at the heart of all reality. We are created to be in relationship with God and with one another. It’s part of being human. It’s in the DNA.

That is what we commemorate this Trinity Sunday. God’s “is” is being-in-relationship, being-in-community.