“Lex orendi, lex credendi,” in other words, what we pray is what we believe. It is said that if you want to know what Episcopalians believe, you’re invited to come and pray with us. I think the same is true of our hymns. If you want to know what we believe about the Trinity, for example, just open our hymnal to the section especially devoted to the Holy Trinity, p.362-371. Read them over; it won’t take long. Perhaps meditate on one or more for awhile. Let the words soak into your heart and refresh your love of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

St. Patrick’s breastplate, #370, is always a favorite of mine, probably, in no small part, due to my Celtic roots. The Irish caim prayers calling for the encircling of God’s love and invoking God’s presence and protection are special for me. In #368, after detailing our understanding of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, the final verse speaks of God’s reaching the whole world and prays that he will “form our hearts and make them thine.” That is what is going on in us today—thanks be to God! A similar prayer is found in the third verse of #365: “…now rule in ev’ry heart and ne’er from us depart, Spirit of power.” To me, that relates to the precious promise of Christ Jesus in our gospel for today: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The theme of #371 with its “Let there be light!” comes from our creation story in Genesis. The phrase that really grabs my attention is in the second verse: “sight to the inly blind.” “Inly blind”—oh, my, isn’t that all of us on one level or another? Verse three of #369 describes our predicament when it comes to expressing our understanding of the Trinity: “Our reason stretches all its wings, climbs above the skies; but still how far beneath thy feet our groundling knowledge lies!” No doubt, different phrases in these hymns will speak to you of the Three-in-One, the One-in-Three. The dance of God goes on!

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”