Last week I mentioned my Dad in my sermon and how the older I get, the more I resemble him. Those of you who have been to the manse and seen pictures of Dad know exactly what I am talking about — Dad’s hairline – or lack thereof — and mine are the same. Pictures of Dad in his younger years show that he had dark, thick, wavy hair as a teenager. Pictures of me in my teen years show that I had thick wavy hair at one time also. Then, as Dad liked to say about himself, all my wavy hair waved goodbye! When I was Ordained into the Ministry 30 years ago Dad spoke at the service – and commented that he taught me a lot of things – not the least of which was how to comb my hair!

It’s Trinity Sunday and Father’s Day – and I struggle with addressing both.
Both are vital and important days.
Trinity Sunday is the Sunday after Penteocst when we pause to reflect upon the Trinity – the fact that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We have passed through Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter when we have focused upon God the Son – the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – and have had the Day of Pentecost when we focused on the work of God the Holy Spirit. Today, before we rush into the remainder of the Christian year, we stop and remember that God the Son and God the Spirit are one – and are one with God the Father.
It is important for us to remember the nature of God and celebrate the nature of God on Trinity Sunday.

I wonder what would happen if we took the Pentecost story seriously – and seriously believed that the Spirit could move among us here and now?
You know — we may not really want to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit! We may be scared of what might happen if we do. Yea — let Pentecost just be something that happened “back then” – let’s just observe it as a historical event – but let’s not get carried away with it. Let’s not act like it could happen here – and now. Let’s just nod at Pentecost – at the exciting renewal the Holy Spirit offers us — as we go about our unexcited and unexciting lives.
What do you think?
Is that what we really want to do?