Whoop-De-Doo! A Meditation on Music, the Trinity, and Colossians

Scripture can be found here...

You may or may not be aware of this, but not everyone refers to this day in our church calendar as “Music Celebration Sunday.” In some circles today is referred to as “Whoop-de-doo Sunday!” As in, wow, what a big day this is, and what a big fuss we make! We worship God today, as we do every Sunday, but we set aside this day to celebrate that one way we love to worship God is through our music ministry.

And in many churches today, what is being celebrated is “Trinity Sunday,” the only day in the church calendar set aside to celebrate a theological doctrine. And I say, “Whoop-De-Doo!” is an appropriate moniker for Trinity Sunday as well.

The passage from the letter to the Colossians, which I read just before the anthem, speaks to the writer’s hopes for life in Christian community. We believers are encouraged to “clothe ourselves” with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. These are the markers of love—in any relationship. Parent-child. Life-partners. Respectful colleagues. But most essentially, here. In faith community. These are the non-negotiables.

We are encouraged to let our hearts be ruled by the peace of Christ—the peace that, elsewhere, is called “the peace that passes understanding.” In other words, this is a peace we can’t rationalize or reason our way to. This is a peace that we are asked simply to embrace.

We are encouraged to adopt an attitude of gratitude, as I’ve heard it called elsewhere.

We are encouraged, not simply to read scripture, but to let it dwell in us richly— let it pitch a tent in our hearts and abide there, kindling its fires, warming us and lighting up the night.

We are encouraged to speak the truth to one another in love.

We are encouraged to keep the music flowing.

And whatever we do, we are to do it all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father. And, though it doesn’t say it in words, the strong implication—the only logical reality—is that we do all this, all these beautiful and often quite difficult things—by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The two main things I’d like to highlight in this rich little text—which could be the source of a dozen sermons at least—are these. First, in a short list of essentials for Christian living in community, music is included. And second, given a recipe for life in community, it is soaked in our understanding of God who is Trinity.

So I ask you, now, to join me in this meditation by Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes.

The Holy Trinity is not a doctrine

but a mystery, a koan,

the paradox of three persons in one,

a meditation on the names of God.

Meditate on the mystery.

Pray with the names. Let them speak.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

Mother, Child, Love Between.

Creator, Christ, Holy Breath.

Source of all Being, Eternal Word, Living Spirit.

Abba God, Only Begotten, Spirit of Love.

Infinite Parent, Infinite Sibling, Infinite Self.

The One Beyond, the One Beside, the One Within.

Transcendent Mystery, Healing Presence, Emergent Energy.

Source of Love, Experience of Love, Energy of Love.

Holy One, Holy Many, Holy Us.

Lord of the Universe, Jesus of Nazareth, Heart of my Soul.

Loving Silence, Gentle Word, Abiding Love.

Mystery of Being, Gift of Love, Breath of Life.

Mother, Son, Holy Spirit.

Loving One, Loving One, Loving One.

Thanks be to God. Amen.