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In 1939 the poet T. S. Elliot wrote a book of poems called the Old Possums Book of Practical Cats. These poems were taken word for word and transformed by Andrew Lloyd Weber into a musical play which first appeared in London, then became a hit in New York, where it ran for nineteen years. Even if you are like me and avoid musicals, you’ve probably heard of this production simply titled, “Cats.”
In his poems, T.S. Elliot says that all cats have three names. The first is the name given by the people the cat lives with. Notice I did not say the people who own the cat. No one ever owns a cat, they just find a way to live with the cat the best they can. Anyway, the guests in the cat's home give the cat a name like Fluffy, Bagel, or Garfield. According to T.S. Elliott, the cat has a second name that other cats know. The cat might be called by other felines, Dolly Purrton the singing cat, or Mewlius Caesar, the brave, or Catpurrnicus, the thinker. Finally, Elliott writes, there is a third name. This name is sacred and secret and reflects who the cat is in the sight of God. In the poetry, the cat spends all his life contemplating his real name before God.
Of course, T. S. Elliott was not just writing about cats; he was using them as an analogy for people. In some ways we all can be thought of as having three names. There is the formal name we receive from our parents. There is the name our friends use. And then, there is utterly unique and sacred name which we receive from God which expresses his particular love for us. For example, I have a formal name, Fr. Kevin Schroeder. My second name is the one my family and friends call me: Kevin, Fruncle Kevin, Rev Kev or just Kev. Finally, there is that divine name I am still learning. It is the name that states who I am in my relationship with God. I received this from God at my baptism. It expresses my deepest intimacy with the Lord. This name indicates the unique reflection of God I was created to bring to the world. This name is only discovered through prayer and humbly living God’s will. I will have to spend the rest of my life coming to a deeper knowledge of who I am in God’s eyes. I will spend the rest of my life conforming my life to match up with its dignity and daring. Each of you also have three names, including the one that proclaims to the world your unique relationship with God.
On Trinity Sunday we reflect on the name of God: Father Son and Spirit. He shares who he is by telling us what to call him. The Trinity is so much more than a theological dogma about God. When we get to know God, we also start to understand ourselves because we are made in his image and likeness. We are baptized in His name and are given a portion of his life and love to live out here on earth. The goal of our lives is to reveal our most profound name which connects us to the inner life of the Almighty.
This knowledge and understanding of our deeper purpose and identity starts and ends with God. We have to get his name right. That’s why we baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. That's how God has revealed himself to us. Foolishly, some folks have changed God’s name to be more in line with the times. Some people find “Father”, “Son”, and “Holy Spirit” to be offensive, old-fashioned, or just hard to relate to. But we never have the right to change another person’s name, much less the name of the Almighty! To have a personal relationship with someone, you have to know, use, and respect their name. If I keep calling someone "Bob" instead of "Bill", he might be amused at first, but if I kept using the wrong name and never bothered to correct my mistake, we couldn't have much of a relationship. Knowing someone's name is the first step which leads the way to greater friendship and sharing. That is the relationship God wants with us and he invites us closer by sharing his name.
With this in mind, we see that Trinity Sunday is far more than an academic reflection on some theological point. It is a reminder of who God is as he has revealed himself to us. It is central to our faith because we are made in God’s image and likeness. The more we understand God and grow in friendship with Him, the more we understand ourselves! It is a celebration that God has trusted us with his name and promised every good thing when we are willing to bear it as his faithful children. When we choose something or someone else’s name in place of God, we fall into sadness and slavery. But when we call out to God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - it brings peace and freedom.
It is a great honor that we are called to grow in friendship with the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. We are given the power and the grace to love as God loves so others might experience the presence of God working in us. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. Our journey to God is not just a matter of our individual relationship with the Lord. We draw near to God so others might join us in the journey that gives meaning to life. We draw near to God so others can see Him in us and be led to His presence.
May we realize we are loved and protected by the God who knows us each by name. And may we glorify his name by faithfully living in witness to him and pointing others to him. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
