READINGS AND REFLECTIONS FOR SUNDAY 27 MAY

ISAIAH 6:1-8.   These few verses describe the call of Isaiah to his ministry of speaking for God to Israel during a critical period of its history in the late 8th century BC. Amid the smoke from the sacrifice on the altar in the temple, Isaiah had a vision of God attended by heavenly creatures. One of the heavenly beings touched his lips with a live coal symbolizing his freedom from sin and worthiness to proclaim God’s message to Israel. Then Isaiah heard the voice of God calling for someone to speak for God to God's sinful people; and he responds.

ROMANS 8:12-17.  Paul claims that having the Spirit of the risen Christ is the key to Christian discipleship. The Spirit dwelling within us enables us to live as the people of God rather than as slaves to the value system of the world around us.

JOHN 3:1-17. Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, learns from Jesus how the Spirit makes us new spiritual persons through faith in the crucified and risen Christ. This comes about because God loves the world so much that God sent Jesus into the world to save us with this faith. This majestic passage is one of many in the New Testament witnessing to what subsequently became the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It describes the ministry of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit as God at work in the world. Some people look at verse 16 as the secret for obtaining eternal life beyond death. In this passage, however, John makes the point that God is as much concerned about how we live in this life now as with what happens to us afterwards. As the subsequent verses 18 to 21 explain, God's judgement occurs and eternal life begins when we believe who Jesus is and what his coming into the world really means.

Put together, our various readings point to the experience of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not only that but these various texts point up how the experience transforms our lives with real effect

For Reflection: God’s power and presence impacts our lives in many and various ways.. On Trinity Sunday, what is your favourite way of describing the Trinity?