July 15, 2019
Genesis 18:1-5 … “The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him.” vss. 1-2a
When Andrei Rublev, a Russian monk, painted the Holy Trinity in the early 15th century, he probably had no idea that it would become the most prized example of Russian iconography. His intention likely had been to preserve the moment described in Genesis, when the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre. Today, the painting’s symbolism opens the way to delightful conversation about the nature of God and the connections between the members of the Trinity. What we fail to grasp in the complexities of Greek philosophy we can sometimes see in the colors and imagery of Rublev’s depiction. The three figures, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, sit around the table in perfect symmetry and remind us that God always comes to us as a Threesome. We can’t know what the writer of Genesis intended by picturing the Lord as three, but we can’t deny that the images triggered by the words have revealed the depth of divinity in a powerful way. We can’t begin to know God, but we can catch glimpses, and Rublev’s masterpiece has opened our minds to delightful ponderings and occasional profound insights. In God there is peace and perfect harmony. And at the Table there’s always room for us! As long as we live, we’re always part of a foursome!
Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to catch glimpses of God?
0 Comments