Drawn not dragged     The Holy Trinity truly matters??

Drawn not dragged     The Holy Trinity truly matters?

“We have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity.”

from the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

During the mid week group today (Wed May 27, 2026) a series of short questions were asked

which I share with the reader now. Perhaps you may find the following helpful.

Fill in the blanks and the answers are found at the end of this post.

Part A

1. God is Mystery — but not ____________A

We cannot fully understand God, yet God has chosen to _________B Himself.

God is known as: Father + Son + Holy Spirit
Three Persons — One God.  Not ________C gods.

Not one God wearing __________D  masks.
One Divine Life shared perfectly in eternal communion.

2. Why is the Trinity important?

Because God is_______E. Love requires communion.

The Father eternally loves the Son in the _______F Spirit.
God is not isolated existence but self-giving relationship.

3. Humans are made in God’s image

If God is communion…then humans are created for:

Communion with God.  __________G with one another. 

Love rather than isolation 

Self-giving rather than self-protection

Sin breaks communion. Christ restores communion.

4. Salvation is more than forgiveness

Christ became human not only to ________H us… but to draw us into the Life of God.

“God became what we are, that we might become by grace what He is.” St. Athanasius

5. The Church reflects the Trinity

Many persons → One Body    Different gifts → Spirit  ______ I  Many members → One Christ

The Church is not merely an institution.   The Church is communion.

Questions: When you hear “God is Trinity”, what feelings arise: confusion, wonder, comfort, resistance?

If God’s eternal Life is communion, what does that say about loneliness, division, or pride?

Where in daily life do we resist self-giving love?  

How might worship, prayer, and Holy Eucharist restore communion?

Is Salvation chiefly going somewhere after death — or sharing God’s Life now and forever?

Prayer: O Holy Trinity, draw us from isolation into communion, from fear into love, and from merely knowing about You
to truly knowing You. Amen.

Part B

THE HOLY TRINITY IN 5 SENTENCES

God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — Three Persons, One God.

God’s eternal Life is perfect communion and self-giving love.

Humans are made in God’s image and therefore created for communion.

Sin breaks communion; Christ restores communion with God and one another.

Salvation is sharing in the Life of the Holy Trinity.

Questions:

What breaks communion in us?

What restores communion?

Is the Life in Christ mainly rules… or participation in God’s Life?

PART C

What we are entering into in the blog post is not trying to pass a theology exam!

We are trying to avoid accidentally saying something the Church has spent 2000 years saying is not true!

PERSON (Greek Hypostasis)

Ask: “When I say ‘What are you?’
Answer: __________J, person.

‘Who are you?’ Answer: Roberta, Ray, male female, wife, husband, brother, sister,

So: What? = human nature   Who? = person

Then: What is God? → Divine 

Who is God? → Father, Son, Holy Spirit

 “Does that distinction help or muddy the water?”…….

ESSENCE / NATURE  ( Greek Ousia)

Essence asks: What kind of being is this? Human =human beings Angelic = angelic beings

What is God? → Divine Being (uncreated)

But God is not a being among beings or an object in the universe.

God is the One Who Is. Back to Exodus: “I AM” / “THE BEING”

Finite language limps along here.

We use words because we have to, while knowing God infinitely exceeds them.

Recap: 

God: One Divine Being/Nature (What) ….Three Divine Persons (Who)

The Church does not divide God into three pieces, or blend three persons into one person.

The moment we speak of God, our words are already too small.

Now for one odd but hopefully memorable line: One WHAT, three WHO’S.

No more Greek- I promise!

Why does this truly matter?

Because: If God is eternal communion, we humans are made for communion with God with one another.

And the Life in Christ is more than terminology.

As one of the Priest was asked: Father, do you understand the Trinity?

The response: Enough to worship. Not enough to boast.

Prayer:

O most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us.

O Lord, cleanse us from our sins.

O Master, pardon our transgressions.

O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name’s sake. Amen

Answers:

A         hidden                                   J          Human.

B         reveal

C         three

D         three 

E         Love

F          Holy

G         Communion

H         forgive

I          One

Fr. Ray Dobson © 2026

H             forgive

I               One