Created for Communion

By the Rev. Matthew D. O’Rear

Revised Common Lectionary reflection for Holy Trinity Sunday, Year A
May 31, 2026

Key Verse: “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  — Matthew 28:20

There is a particular kind of loneliness shaping modern life. Not always physical isolation. Many people are surrounded by noise all day long. Notifications. Meetings. Headlines. Endless opportunities to react. And yet, underneath it all, there is often a quieter ache:

– Where do I actually belong?
– Who will stay?
– What holds us together when everything feels fragmented?

Into this kind of world, Trinity Sunday speaks a deeply countercultural word. At the center of reality itself is relationship. Not competition. Not domination. Not isolation. Relationship.

Genesis does not open with violence or chaos winning the day, but with creation unfolding through God’s delight and creativity. Light spills into darkness. Waters gather. Trees rise from the earth. Living creatures multiply. Again and again, God calls creation good.

Before humanity accomplishes anything, creation is already blessed. That matters for stewardship because it reminds us that the world is not raw material for exploitation. Creation is a gift. We do not own it. We belong within it.

Psalm 8 pushes this wonder even further: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers…” (Psalm 8:3). The psalmist stands beneath the night sky, overwhelmed by both human smallness and human dignity. Humanity is tiny compared to the vastness of creation, and yet humanity is still entrusted with creation’s care. .

That is stewardship language. Not domination, but responsibility. Not ownership, but relationship. And perhaps that is especially important now, in a culture that often treats people, land, and even time itself as commodities to consume rather than gifts to steward.

Then Matthew’s Gospel brings us to the mountain with the risen Christ. The disciples gather there, carrying both worship and doubt. And the Gospel writer is honest enough to tell us both are present at the same time. And still, Jesus sends them: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not say: “Go explain the Trinity.” Instead, Jesus invites people into the life of the Trinity. Into communion. Into relationship. Into belonging. That changes how we hear and experience stewardship too.

Stewardship is not merely managing church budgets or maintaining institutions. Stewardship is participating in God’s ongoing work of relationship and reconciliation in the world. It is caring for creation because creation belongs to God. It is caring for neighbors because every person bears God’s image. It is caring for community because isolation is not the deepest truth about humanity.

And then comes Jesus’ final promise:  “I am with you always.”

Not occasionally. Not only when faith feels strong. Always.

That promise may be one of the greatest gifts the church has to offer a weary world right now. Because many people are exhausted by systems that measure worth through productivity, status, or success. Many are carrying grief quietly while trying to keep functioning. Many feel disconnected not only from one another, but from themselves.

And into all of this, Trinity Sunday declares: You are created for communion, for connection, and for relationship. With God. With one another. With creation itself.

The Father creates. The Son redeems. The Spirit sustains and moves among us still. Love is not merely something God does. Love is who God is.And if that is true, then stewardship becomes more than obligation. It becomes participation in the life of God.

In Worship

Trinity Sunday invites worship shaped by wonder rather than explanation. Consider emphasizing creation imagery throughout the liturgy: water, light, stars, trees, wind, and breath. A thanksgiving for baptism liturgy could fit especially well this week, reminding the congregation that baptism draws us into the communal life of the Triune God. You might invite worshipers to name places where they have experienced connection recently: around a table, through acts of kindness, in nature, or through community support during difficult seasons. Those stories can become reminders that stewardship is relational, not transactional. Music that highlights creation and communal praise may resonate deeply, such as “For the Beauty of the Earth,” “All Creatures, Worship God Most High,” or “Come Join the Dance of Trinity.” A moment of silence beneath projected images of creation could also reinforce the Psalm 8 sense of awe and humility.

Worship with Youth

With youth, Trinity Sunday offers an opportunity to talk honestly about connection and belonging. Ask:
–  “What helps people feel like they belong?”
–  “What makes communities fall apart?”
– “Where do you see people treating others like objects instead of human beings?”

Then connect those questions to Genesis and Matthew. Humanity is created in relationship, and Jesus sends disciples not to build private spirituality but communities shaped by love and justice. An activity could involve creating a web with yarn across the room. As each youth shares something they contribute to their family, school, or community, they hold onto part of the yarn. Eventually the web visibly demonstrates how interconnected people really are. Talk about stewardship not simply as giving money, but as caring for relationships, creation, time, gifts, and one another. Close by reminding youth that the Trinity reveals something essential about God: nobody is created to live disconnected and alone.

Worship with Children

For children, focus on the goodness and connectedness of creation. Bring in simple items from creation: a flower, a bowl of water, a small rock, a candle, or a stuffed animal. Ask children what they love most about the world God made. Then explain: “God made all these different things, and God loves all of them. God also made us. God made us to love and care for one another.”

You might form a circle and explain that the Trinity is about God’s love always moving between Creator, Christ, and Spirit, and that God invites us into that love too. A simple object lesson could involve blowing bubbles. Talk about how bubbles float and move through the air, connected to the breath that created them. In the same way, God’s Spirit moves through us and connects us to one another. End with a simple reminder: “You are loved by God, you belong to God, and you can help share God’s love with the world.”

Previously published reflections for Trinity Sunday, Year A
2023 – What do you do with our mysterious Trinity Sunday?
2020 – Ready for beloved community?
2017 – Trinity Sunday: We’re not flying solo, folks!
2014 – Go! Make disciples!
2011 – Life Together