Deepening Our Understanding

Towards A Better Understanding of Our Christian Life

Most of us, if not all of us, would like to be able to go deeper into our knowledge of the scriptures and in our knowledge of the Triune God. More often than not we are unsure or unclear as to the path to take with so many voices saying they know the way. As it happens there is a way through the maze of opinions that is both sound scripturally and supported by the Church Fathers.

As we enter the church, we probably notice first the Cross in the middle of the sanctuary. And there is one of the keys to a fuller life in the Triune God. Because  of the saving work of Christ on the Cross we can participate and go much deeper into our eucharistic life.

In the Eucharist we take the body of Christ (the bread) and eat it in remembrance of his life and to gain spiritual strength in our own lives. And we drink the blood of Christ (the wine) in order that his life will flow through ours. This is right and proper to do as Jesus has commanded us to do. But we can go deeper and look at another aspect of partaking in the ‘bread and wine’ of the Eucharist.

You will recall that in Genesis chapter eighteen that Abraham is visited by three men: Gen. 18.1-5

          The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.”[1]

There is a general consensus, though not universal, that the three men are in fact the Holy Trinity. Indeed, the Russian Andrei Rublev (15th century) has produced an icon of this scene, aptly entitled The Hospitality of Abraham, though generally just called The Trinity. And the genius behind the painting of this icon is that the three are sitting at a table and there is a space at the front of the table for us to join the Trinity, who  are sitting at each point of the Compass and there is a space at the Southern end for you and I to join in the Trinitarian life together.

Unlike Abraham who knew he was unworthy to sit with his three visitors, we are through the death and resurrection of Jesus able to sit at that same table. And when we partake of the Eucharist it allows us to a share in that Trinitarian meal. And more than that we are by imputation allowed to participate in the Perichoresis of the Trinity.

That is the Greek word perichoresis, tells that while the Trinity are both interdependent on each other and independent of each other they each have a function in God’s Economy of Salvation. And we see happen every week during the Eucharist.

When the congregation is sitting quietly and reflectively as they prepare themselves to receive the Eucharist the priest and the liturgical assistants are playing their part in the “perichoresis of the Trinity”. They too are both interdependent on each other and independent of each other as they prepare to give out the consecrated bread and wine. To hearts that are wanting to be in close communion with the Trinity

For centuries, since the Desert Fathers, the Trinity and their individual function within the Salvation economy has been seen as a Divine Dance. Which is to say that each has a ‘part’ to ‘play’ in this Divine Dance, as it was called, giving us life in its fulness. The priest and liturgical assistants are involved in this ‘dance’ as well. And when we accept the Eucharist, we too are invited to take out place in this ‘dance’ too.

And when we take up this ‘dance’ we are in effect taking on Trinitarian Life which was denied to Abraham, because of his unworthiness; but in Jesus, you and I are worthy to take our place at the Trinitarian table and life.

It is an axiom of life that become what we love and behold. As we look at Rublev’s icon we see at the front of the table what appears to be a vacant section. Legend has it that it was a mirror so that whoever looked at it saw themselves reflected in the mirror.

So, in effect our spiritual journey is about reflecting all the love, goodness and holiness in our lives which is a reflected gift. And all this because we have the freedom to participate in the Holy Eucharist.

“True mirroring only needs to be received and recognized once—and once is enough to change you forever. But it deepens if we ‘gaze steadily and make it a habit’, as James says.” (Richard Rohr).

Robert Daly

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ge 18:1–5.