Two things are immediately brought to mind by the Gospel reading for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, John 3:16-18. One is the ubiquity of John 3:16 amongst evangelical Christians, a key verse in "the Four Spiritual Laws (see Law 1 at http://www.godlovestheworld.com/). I grew up with this verse as perhaps the most significant verse in the Bible. Some of you might remember the rainbow haired man who held up "John 3:16" at sporting events, and who now sadly spends his life in a California prison. The ubiquity of this verse should not allow us to drain it of its power or beauty, or take its message for granted. The second thing that I recall is my childhood wonder that Jesus was God, or was it, is Jesus God? Or was the question, how can Jesus be God? I recall a great deal of confusion as I puzzled over this great mystery: was Jesus a man or God? Was God Jesus as well? Or was Jesus God? (I admit right now that I must have relegated the Holy Spirit to a position off to the side or on the bench, as I do not recall puzzling to the same degree over the person of the Holy Spirit.) As I began to study early Christianity formally I began to note that there was no easy answer or easy explanation to the relation of the three persons of the Trinity. I read the definitions of the Ecumenical Councils at Nicea, Constantinople, and Chalcedon. I found them all compelling, but it seemed that what they were describing was beyond words. It was a mystery and one that had been studied, examined and explained by numerous great minds in the Church, but always with the sense that there was something that could not be explained or grasped this side of heaven. Love seemed to get to the heart of it, but even more to the heart of the matter is Paul’s benediction from 2 Corinthians: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you" (13:13). I am not certain how to explain the relationship amongst the Trinity, but what needs to be explained when you experience the grace, love and fellowship? Paul was not operating with any formal definition of the Trinity when he wrote those words, centuries prior to the Ecumenical Councils. He was operating with a lived experience of the Trinity that defied description or confusion, that imposed itself through the very reality of grace, love, and fellowship on his heart and mind. This is how I understand the Trinity. John W. Martens