The lessons for the Festival of the Holy Trinity have to do with the name of God.
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle A
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1-2:4a (C); Genesis 1:1-2:3 (E, L)
This is the first of two creation accounts found in Genesis. God creates through the power of his word. This account suggests that God is not quite as close to his creation as does the account beginning in Genesis 2:4b and following, where God takes a hands--on approach to forming humankind out of clay. The word used for God's creative acts is bara and is used only in reference to the Lord. God creates from nothing; humans form things from that which already exists.
Lesson 1: Exodus 34:4--6, 8--9 (RC)
After Moses breaks the two tablets of the law in angry reaction to the people's apostasy, God gave the people of Israel another chance. He instructs Moses to go up to the top of Mount Sinai with two tablets of stone and God would inscribe his laws on them. There, God reveals himself as the Lord, the Almighty, merciful and forgiving. Nevertheless, iniquity has its price that future generations have to pay (v. 7).
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 13:11--13 (C, RC); 2 Corinthians 13:(5--10) 11--14 (E); 2 Corinthians 13:11--14 (L)
The Corinthian Church was one of Paul's greatest challenges. He calls into question several issues of morality and behavior. In closing out his letter, he urges them to mend their ways and live in peace and harmony with one another. The epistle is completed on a positive note with the Trinitarian blessing, known as the Apostolic Greeting in some churches.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16--20 (C, E, L)
Just prior to this lection, the risen Christ orders his disciples to meet him at a certain mountain in Galilee. They worship him but some have doubts. Christ announces that God has given him all authority. He commands them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The task seems overpowering but Christ promises to be with them always.
201
Gospel: John 3:16--18 (RC)
John 3:16 is sometimes referred to as the gospel in a nutshell. ''God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.'' God is not in the business of condemning but of saving.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 8 (C) - ''O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name ...'' (v. 1).
Psalm 150 (E) - ''Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!'' (v. 6).
Psalm 29 (L) - ''Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name ...'' (v. 2a).
Prayer Of The Day
Holy God, in your mercy you have revealed to us your sacred name, that Name which is above every name in heaven and earth. We bow before the mystery of the Holy Trinity, one God made visible in three persons. May our lives truly proclaim your precious name by what we say and do. This we pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1-2:4a
In the beginning, God. This may be the most important verse in the Bible because it asserts that God is the source of all things created. From this fact we conclude that all creation belongs to him and carries his imprint. The cosmos is not a random coming together of various substances. There is mind, design and purpose underlying all life. God was there in the beginning and is the Source of all of our beginnings.
Behold the goodness of creation. At various points in this creation account it states that God looked at what he had made and judged it to be good. This tells us that life is good, all created things are good. Do we take the time to behold the essential goodness of creation? Do we treat the world as God's garden? What does ''good'' mean in this context? That the handiwork of God fulfills the intention of its Creator.
Is God vegetarian? Verses 29--30 state that God gave to man and beast alike the fruit of the earth as food. No mention of eating meat, which is a concession to the state of the world following Noah and the flood. This means that it was God's intention not only that God and man live in harmony but also man and beast.
Remember the Sabbath. The Hebrews ground their observance of the Sabbath day in God's creative act of rest. After God finished his creation, he rested (Genesis 2:2). Rest and work are part of the cycle of creation. Our daily body rhythms are based on this cycle. We work and then we rest. God knows that we also need extended and regular periods of rest and worship. The day of rest and worship for Christians shifted to Sunday, the day of resurrection. Unfortunately, Sabbath observance has been relegated to the dustbin of religious history, through our modern obsessions for things material. We need to take a day off, not only to recharge our creative energies but to remember and worship the God of all creation.
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 13:(5--10) 11--14
Mend and blend. Paul entreats the errant Corinthians to mend their ways, subdue their contentious manner by blending with their brothers and sisters. ''Mend your ways ..., agree with one another, live in peace ...'' (v. 11).
Greetings from God. Last week's Gospel lesson has Jesus greeting his discouraged disciples in the upper room with the sign of peace, the shalom. In this lesson Paul leaves his greetings in the name of the triune God: ''The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.'' Grace, love and fellowship are each linked
202
with one of the persons of the Trinity. Grace, the undeserved gift of Christ, comes first. He is the one through whom we come to know the love of God and fellowship of the Spirit.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16--20
Going home. Jesus directed his disciples to head back to Galilee, to a certain mountain, perhaps the site of the Transfiguration, where he would meet them. Before death, many folks want to go home to familiar surroundings. Jackie Kennedy Onassis, when at the latter stages of lymphoma, was told that there was nothing more that could be done for her. She decided to go home to die. Jesus was not dead but his physical presence was about to be withdrawn. He was going home to be with the Father. Christ commissioned his disciples to point to others the way to go home to God.
Faith and doubt. When the disciples saw the glorified Lord, they worshipped him but Matthew adds, rather parenthetically, ''but some doubted'' (v. 16). We don't know who doubted but it is interesting to note that no one was chastised for their doubt. Faith and doubt are never completely exclusive one of the other. Even the most substantial faith experiences an occasional doubt. Otherwise, it would not be faith but sight. God honors even the most puny faith, if it is acted upon.
On whose authority? That's the question Jesus was asked time and again. Jesus spoke and acted with great authority. He claimed that same authority as he sent out his disciples with the gospel. In an attempt to be relevant to contemporary culture, has the church lost touch with its fountainhead of authority?
Mission mandate. The Lord commands his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. Nothing is said about institutions, buildings and programs. Spiritual replication is still the mainstream of the Church's mission. Our reason for existence can be summarized in four simple mandates: Go, make disciples, baptize and teach.
Disciples, not decisions. In evangelical circles, great stress is placed upon making decisions for Christ. The believer can then point to a certain point in time when she became a Christian. Thus, becoming a Christian is considered a highly individualistic decision that almost makes the Community of Faith optional. It can be argued that making a disciple and becoming a disciple is a process, beginning at baptism, and not a one--time event. An integral part of this process is teaching and learning. It took Jesus three years of intense interaction and teaching, capped by his death and resurrection, to form his disciples into a church. Yet, many churches think that they can manufacture disciples during a three--week orientation course.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Sermon Title: The Community Of God
Sermon Angle: In verse 26, God says: ''Let US make man in OUR image.'' Who is God addressing here? Biblical scholars maintain that it is the heavenly court of angelic beings. Other believers see this as a reference to the Holy Trinity. In any case, the passage suggests that God cannot be imaged apart from community. God is not known in solitary splendor, as Creator or even Father. God can only be known fully in the three persons of the Godhead, who are so closely intertwined as to be one. We come to God through the community of the Godhead and the community of faith.
Sermon Title: A Non--Carnal World
Sermon Angle: Verses 29--31 portray a world where there is no prey. The strong do not feed upon the weak. God gave humans and beast alike the fruit of the earth and green plants for food. It was truly a non--carnal world. Paul, of course, uses the word carnal or flesh to depict our sinful human nature. So, meat--eating symbolizes humankind's sinful nature. Admittedly,
203
after the flood, God somewhat reluctantly permits humans to eat meat. Is this God's admission that sin cannot be eradicated in this world, without blotting out freedom of choice as well? Perhaps. At any rate, we know that heaven will be a non--carnal existence.
Outline:
1. Eden was a non--carnal existence
- no beasts of prey or shedding of blood
- every creature lived in mutuality and freedom
2. Relate carnality to sin and give examples
(to hurt the neighbor is like tearing their flesh)
3. Establish that the kingdom of God is a non--carnal existence of love
- Isaiah's Peaceable Kingdom (Isaiah 11)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 13:(5--10) 11--14
Sermon Title: Mend Your Ways
Sermon Angle: At the crucifixion, the soldiers threw dice to determine the ownership of Christ's seamless robe. They didn't want to tear it. That robe symbolizes the unity of the Church. The Corinthians were tearing at Christ's robe through their desire to stand out. This put them in competition against one another and produced a destructive effect. Paul orders them to mend their ways by living in peace. To take the analogy further, we can say that we are strands or threads in Christ's robe. By ourselves we are weak and of little account, but when we are woven into Christ's seamless robe, the church, through baptism and faith, we become a thing of strength and beauty. Then, we are able to confer on others Christ's forgiveness and grace.
Sermon Title: God's Name Is Grace
Sermon Angle: The theme for this Sunday has to do with the names of God, especially Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We could just as well name God grace, love and community because these characteristics encapsulate for us the nature of God. Paul's greeting in verse 14 links these concepts to the persons of the Trinity. All three concepts - grace, love and community - reveal to us the essential nature of God. A fruitful sermon could plumb the depths of this trinity of theological expressions. However, to keep this from becoming too abstract, there must be ample illustrations.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16--20
Sermon Title: Absence Of Authority
Sermon Angle: There is a great void in our modern, western world; it is a void which sends fundamentalists of any religion into an apoplexy of fear and dread. I speak of the absence of authority. The tenure of our time is that God is all right as long as he doesn't make any demands which would infringe on our freedom. The Bible is no longer the authority, even for most who claim Christianity. Most regard with skepticism religious institutions and denominational leaders. The teacher, the policeman, even the doctor, has lost his or her aura of authority. Most of the established Protestant denominations are diminishing because Christ's authority as Savior and Lord has been rejected. This rejection is usually not explicit but by default. Jesus said, ''All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples ...'' For those who believe and obey Christ, there can be no absence of authority.
Outline:
1. There is an absence of authority
- in the institutions of society
- in the family
- in the church
2. The result - normlessness, law breaking and depression
3. Jesus claimed his authority
- do you believe him?
- if so, obey him by carrying out his mission
204
Sermon Title: Copy--Right and Copy--Wrong
Sermon Angle: In the Great Commission, we could say that Christ gave to his disciples his copyright. This means that he gave them his permission to replicate in others the faith he had given them. Actually, Christ's command to replicate our faith goes beyond rights; it's a commission. There is a right and a wrong way to make disciples, however. The right way proclaims and incarnates the grace and love of God, which we experience in Christ. The wrong way lays guilt, bullies, pressures or judges. The wrong way to witness occurs when we point to ourselves or our congregation, rather than to Christ, as the object of faith. Copy right!
Outline:
1. Christ gave his church the copyright on the gospel
2. Our duty and delight is to transmit the faith in the right way
- to show the love of Christ
- to walk the walk as well as talk the talk
3. Harm comes from sharing the gospel in the wrong way (examples)
4. The greatest harm stems from refusing to share the gospel
5. Share concrete ways to witnessing in the right way
Life is three--dimensional. One of the early Greek philosophers posited that there were three primary elements of life in this world - earth, fire and water. We also employ the language of the Greeks to describe our humanity - body, mind and spirit. Jews, Moslems and Christians picture the cosmos as 3--D - heaven, earth and hell. Physicists report that the inner world of the atom is composed of three primary particles - protons, neutrons and electrons. The family has traditionally been constituted of three essential beings, called father, mother and child. Christians attempt to explain the mystery of God by affirming that God is 3--D, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What does God look like? That was the question that Tommy was puzzling over.
''Does he look like us?'' his teacher queried.
''No, I don't think so,'' Tommy responded.
The teacher handed him a piece of drawing paper and requested Tommy to draw with his crayons what he thought God looks like.
The end result was a large yellow circle sun--face, a smaller circle--face to represent the earth and a large dominating rainbow to personify the Holy Spirit. The sun symbolized the Father, the earth was Jesus, the Son, and the rainbow represented the Holy Spirit. Tommy's picture amazed his teacher with its simple profundity. The sun as God's face, the earth, where God became human in Jesus, the face of the Son of God, and the rainbow, which reflects the rays of the sun, frames the earth with its beauteous glory. (Gleaned from U.S. Catholic; ''Draw Me A Mystery.'')
205
Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1-2:4a (C); Genesis 1:1-2:3 (E, L)
This is the first of two creation accounts found in Genesis. God creates through the power of his word. This account suggests that God is not quite as close to his creation as does the account beginning in Genesis 2:4b and following, where God takes a hands--on approach to forming humankind out of clay. The word used for God's creative acts is bara and is used only in reference to the Lord. God creates from nothing; humans form things from that which already exists.
Lesson 1: Exodus 34:4--6, 8--9 (RC)
After Moses breaks the two tablets of the law in angry reaction to the people's apostasy, God gave the people of Israel another chance. He instructs Moses to go up to the top of Mount Sinai with two tablets of stone and God would inscribe his laws on them. There, God reveals himself as the Lord, the Almighty, merciful and forgiving. Nevertheless, iniquity has its price that future generations have to pay (v. 7).
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 13:11--13 (C, RC); 2 Corinthians 13:(5--10) 11--14 (E); 2 Corinthians 13:11--14 (L)
The Corinthian Church was one of Paul's greatest challenges. He calls into question several issues of morality and behavior. In closing out his letter, he urges them to mend their ways and live in peace and harmony with one another. The epistle is completed on a positive note with the Trinitarian blessing, known as the Apostolic Greeting in some churches.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16--20 (C, E, L)
Just prior to this lection, the risen Christ orders his disciples to meet him at a certain mountain in Galilee. They worship him but some have doubts. Christ announces that God has given him all authority. He commands them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The task seems overpowering but Christ promises to be with them always.
201
Gospel: John 3:16--18 (RC)
John 3:16 is sometimes referred to as the gospel in a nutshell. ''God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.'' God is not in the business of condemning but of saving.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 8 (C) - ''O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name ...'' (v. 1).
Psalm 150 (E) - ''Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!'' (v. 6).
Psalm 29 (L) - ''Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name ...'' (v. 2a).
Prayer Of The Day
Holy God, in your mercy you have revealed to us your sacred name, that Name which is above every name in heaven and earth. We bow before the mystery of the Holy Trinity, one God made visible in three persons. May our lives truly proclaim your precious name by what we say and do. This we pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1-2:4a
In the beginning, God. This may be the most important verse in the Bible because it asserts that God is the source of all things created. From this fact we conclude that all creation belongs to him and carries his imprint. The cosmos is not a random coming together of various substances. There is mind, design and purpose underlying all life. God was there in the beginning and is the Source of all of our beginnings.
Behold the goodness of creation. At various points in this creation account it states that God looked at what he had made and judged it to be good. This tells us that life is good, all created things are good. Do we take the time to behold the essential goodness of creation? Do we treat the world as God's garden? What does ''good'' mean in this context? That the handiwork of God fulfills the intention of its Creator.
Is God vegetarian? Verses 29--30 state that God gave to man and beast alike the fruit of the earth as food. No mention of eating meat, which is a concession to the state of the world following Noah and the flood. This means that it was God's intention not only that God and man live in harmony but also man and beast.
Remember the Sabbath. The Hebrews ground their observance of the Sabbath day in God's creative act of rest. After God finished his creation, he rested (Genesis 2:2). Rest and work are part of the cycle of creation. Our daily body rhythms are based on this cycle. We work and then we rest. God knows that we also need extended and regular periods of rest and worship. The day of rest and worship for Christians shifted to Sunday, the day of resurrection. Unfortunately, Sabbath observance has been relegated to the dustbin of religious history, through our modern obsessions for things material. We need to take a day off, not only to recharge our creative energies but to remember and worship the God of all creation.
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 13:(5--10) 11--14
Mend and blend. Paul entreats the errant Corinthians to mend their ways, subdue their contentious manner by blending with their brothers and sisters. ''Mend your ways ..., agree with one another, live in peace ...'' (v. 11).
Greetings from God. Last week's Gospel lesson has Jesus greeting his discouraged disciples in the upper room with the sign of peace, the shalom. In this lesson Paul leaves his greetings in the name of the triune God: ''The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.'' Grace, love and fellowship are each linked
202
with one of the persons of the Trinity. Grace, the undeserved gift of Christ, comes first. He is the one through whom we come to know the love of God and fellowship of the Spirit.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16--20
Going home. Jesus directed his disciples to head back to Galilee, to a certain mountain, perhaps the site of the Transfiguration, where he would meet them. Before death, many folks want to go home to familiar surroundings. Jackie Kennedy Onassis, when at the latter stages of lymphoma, was told that there was nothing more that could be done for her. She decided to go home to die. Jesus was not dead but his physical presence was about to be withdrawn. He was going home to be with the Father. Christ commissioned his disciples to point to others the way to go home to God.
Faith and doubt. When the disciples saw the glorified Lord, they worshipped him but Matthew adds, rather parenthetically, ''but some doubted'' (v. 16). We don't know who doubted but it is interesting to note that no one was chastised for their doubt. Faith and doubt are never completely exclusive one of the other. Even the most substantial faith experiences an occasional doubt. Otherwise, it would not be faith but sight. God honors even the most puny faith, if it is acted upon.
On whose authority? That's the question Jesus was asked time and again. Jesus spoke and acted with great authority. He claimed that same authority as he sent out his disciples with the gospel. In an attempt to be relevant to contemporary culture, has the church lost touch with its fountainhead of authority?
Mission mandate. The Lord commands his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. Nothing is said about institutions, buildings and programs. Spiritual replication is still the mainstream of the Church's mission. Our reason for existence can be summarized in four simple mandates: Go, make disciples, baptize and teach.
Disciples, not decisions. In evangelical circles, great stress is placed upon making decisions for Christ. The believer can then point to a certain point in time when she became a Christian. Thus, becoming a Christian is considered a highly individualistic decision that almost makes the Community of Faith optional. It can be argued that making a disciple and becoming a disciple is a process, beginning at baptism, and not a one--time event. An integral part of this process is teaching and learning. It took Jesus three years of intense interaction and teaching, capped by his death and resurrection, to form his disciples into a church. Yet, many churches think that they can manufacture disciples during a three--week orientation course.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Sermon Title: The Community Of God
Sermon Angle: In verse 26, God says: ''Let US make man in OUR image.'' Who is God addressing here? Biblical scholars maintain that it is the heavenly court of angelic beings. Other believers see this as a reference to the Holy Trinity. In any case, the passage suggests that God cannot be imaged apart from community. God is not known in solitary splendor, as Creator or even Father. God can only be known fully in the three persons of the Godhead, who are so closely intertwined as to be one. We come to God through the community of the Godhead and the community of faith.
Sermon Title: A Non--Carnal World
Sermon Angle: Verses 29--31 portray a world where there is no prey. The strong do not feed upon the weak. God gave humans and beast alike the fruit of the earth and green plants for food. It was truly a non--carnal world. Paul, of course, uses the word carnal or flesh to depict our sinful human nature. So, meat--eating symbolizes humankind's sinful nature. Admittedly,
203
after the flood, God somewhat reluctantly permits humans to eat meat. Is this God's admission that sin cannot be eradicated in this world, without blotting out freedom of choice as well? Perhaps. At any rate, we know that heaven will be a non--carnal existence.
Outline:
1. Eden was a non--carnal existence
- no beasts of prey or shedding of blood
- every creature lived in mutuality and freedom
2. Relate carnality to sin and give examples
(to hurt the neighbor is like tearing their flesh)
3. Establish that the kingdom of God is a non--carnal existence of love
- Isaiah's Peaceable Kingdom (Isaiah 11)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 13:(5--10) 11--14
Sermon Title: Mend Your Ways
Sermon Angle: At the crucifixion, the soldiers threw dice to determine the ownership of Christ's seamless robe. They didn't want to tear it. That robe symbolizes the unity of the Church. The Corinthians were tearing at Christ's robe through their desire to stand out. This put them in competition against one another and produced a destructive effect. Paul orders them to mend their ways by living in peace. To take the analogy further, we can say that we are strands or threads in Christ's robe. By ourselves we are weak and of little account, but when we are woven into Christ's seamless robe, the church, through baptism and faith, we become a thing of strength and beauty. Then, we are able to confer on others Christ's forgiveness and grace.
Sermon Title: God's Name Is Grace
Sermon Angle: The theme for this Sunday has to do with the names of God, especially Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We could just as well name God grace, love and community because these characteristics encapsulate for us the nature of God. Paul's greeting in verse 14 links these concepts to the persons of the Trinity. All three concepts - grace, love and community - reveal to us the essential nature of God. A fruitful sermon could plumb the depths of this trinity of theological expressions. However, to keep this from becoming too abstract, there must be ample illustrations.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16--20
Sermon Title: Absence Of Authority
Sermon Angle: There is a great void in our modern, western world; it is a void which sends fundamentalists of any religion into an apoplexy of fear and dread. I speak of the absence of authority. The tenure of our time is that God is all right as long as he doesn't make any demands which would infringe on our freedom. The Bible is no longer the authority, even for most who claim Christianity. Most regard with skepticism religious institutions and denominational leaders. The teacher, the policeman, even the doctor, has lost his or her aura of authority. Most of the established Protestant denominations are diminishing because Christ's authority as Savior and Lord has been rejected. This rejection is usually not explicit but by default. Jesus said, ''All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples ...'' For those who believe and obey Christ, there can be no absence of authority.
Outline:
1. There is an absence of authority
- in the institutions of society
- in the family
- in the church
2. The result - normlessness, law breaking and depression
3. Jesus claimed his authority
- do you believe him?
- if so, obey him by carrying out his mission
204
Sermon Title: Copy--Right and Copy--Wrong
Sermon Angle: In the Great Commission, we could say that Christ gave to his disciples his copyright. This means that he gave them his permission to replicate in others the faith he had given them. Actually, Christ's command to replicate our faith goes beyond rights; it's a commission. There is a right and a wrong way to make disciples, however. The right way proclaims and incarnates the grace and love of God, which we experience in Christ. The wrong way lays guilt, bullies, pressures or judges. The wrong way to witness occurs when we point to ourselves or our congregation, rather than to Christ, as the object of faith. Copy right!
Outline:
1. Christ gave his church the copyright on the gospel
2. Our duty and delight is to transmit the faith in the right way
- to show the love of Christ
- to walk the walk as well as talk the talk
3. Harm comes from sharing the gospel in the wrong way (examples)
4. The greatest harm stems from refusing to share the gospel
5. Share concrete ways to witnessing in the right way
Life is three--dimensional. One of the early Greek philosophers posited that there were three primary elements of life in this world - earth, fire and water. We also employ the language of the Greeks to describe our humanity - body, mind and spirit. Jews, Moslems and Christians picture the cosmos as 3--D - heaven, earth and hell. Physicists report that the inner world of the atom is composed of three primary particles - protons, neutrons and electrons. The family has traditionally been constituted of three essential beings, called father, mother and child. Christians attempt to explain the mystery of God by affirming that God is 3--D, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What does God look like? That was the question that Tommy was puzzling over.
''Does he look like us?'' his teacher queried.
''No, I don't think so,'' Tommy responded.
The teacher handed him a piece of drawing paper and requested Tommy to draw with his crayons what he thought God looks like.
The end result was a large yellow circle sun--face, a smaller circle--face to represent the earth and a large dominating rainbow to personify the Holy Spirit. The sun symbolized the Father, the earth was Jesus, the Son, and the rainbow represented the Holy Spirit. Tommy's picture amazed his teacher with its simple profundity. The sun as God's face, the earth, where God became human in Jesus, the face of the Son of God, and the rainbow, which reflects the rays of the sun, frames the earth with its beauteous glory. (Gleaned from U.S. Catholic; ''Draw Me A Mystery.'')
205
