Returning for a moment to my cycle of sonnets for the Church Year, here is one for Trinity Sunday which I am posting the day before, in case people would like to make use of it tomorrow.
By coming to us as the Son, revealing to us the Father, and sending to us the Spirit, Jesus revealed the deepest mystery; that God is not distant and alone, but is three in one, a communion of love who comes to make His home with us.
The Rublev Icon, above, shows the Three in One inviting us to share in that communion. If, as I believe, we are made in the image of God, as beings in communion with one another in the name of that Holy and Undivided Trnity whose being is communion, then we will find reflections and traces of the Trinitarian mystery in all our loving and making.
As usual you can hear the poem by clicking on the ‘play’ button if it appears or on the title of the poem.
Readers who are interested in my use of the word ‘coinherent’ will find out more by watching the video of my talk about the British theologian Charles Williams, a friend and fellow inkling of CS Lewis which can be found here.
This sonnet is drawn from my collection Sounding the Seasons, published by Canterbury Press here in England. The book is now back in stock on both Amazon UK and USA . It is now also out on Kindle. Please feel free to make use of this, and my other sonnets in church services and to copy and share them. If you can mention the book from which they are taken that would be great..
In the Beginning, not in time or space,
But in the quick before both space and time,
In Life, in Love, in co-inherent Grace,
In three in one and one in three, in rhyme,
In music, in the whole creation story,
In His own image, His imagination,
The Triune Poet makes us for His glory,
And makes us each the other’s inspiration.
He calls us out of darkness, chaos, chance,
To improvise a music of our own,
To sing the chord that calls us to the dance,
Three notes resounding from a single tone,
To sing the End in whom we all begin;
Our God beyond, beside us and within.
If you are enjoying these posts, you might like, on occasion, to pop in and buy me a cup of coffee. Clicking on this banner will take you to a page where you can do so, if you wish.
Malcolm Guite 
Thankyou 😊🙏
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Thank you Malcolm – I did listen to your talk on Charles Williams – wow – lots to ponder.
Charmaine Host
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Thanks glad you found it thought-provoking
I find real spirituality and poetic beauty in your poems and talks that I have listened to on You tube. While I appreciate that to put up a blog and keep updating it takes time and, perhaps there is a cost to you, I feel a bit ‘disappointed’ about the ‘buy me a coffee’ feature. At first I thought and hoped it was a charity initiative. It seems to somehow cheapen what I have understood that you are engaged in- building up the kingdom. I don’t mean to be unfairly critical but just wonder what this feature is adding to your ministry. Thank you for all that you do and create. It touches my spirit and my prayer.
Fiona the answer is simple. I choose to be employed half time in order to leave time for all these other things including this blog which I offer, and will continue to offer freely. Hitherto I have made ends meet by means of lectures conferences and gigs all of which have been cancelled because of Covid. I could easily finance this blog or my YouTube with advertising but I’d rather not do that and a friend of mine suggested this coffee site as a way of allowing those who have enjoyed my posts freely for so long to make an occasional small contribution if they wished just as they might in real life buy me a coffee. Of course there’s absolutely no obligation. But I’m very surprised that after receiving so much so freely you should be judgmental and take offence. This does not as you say ‘add to my ministry’ – but it does help to maintain it.
Thank you, Malcolm. This makes sense. I have only just joined your blog – I don’t subscribe to any others. I deeply appreciate all that you offer and was not being judgemental or taking offence. I couldn’t quite see how the coffee purchase fitted with what comes across in your poetry and talks which is why I responded. I’m sorry if I hurt or offended you; it was not my intention.
Thank you for replying I’m happy to accept your apology. There’s a post a few weeks ago on my blog which introduces and explains the whole coffee thing. You can find it by using the search box. With this exception the response has been overwhelmingly positive and also very practically helpful to me thanks M
Dear Malcolm Guite,
I very much appreciate your posts but this e-mail address is about to expire. Please change your records so that my new e-mail anne@ac-holmes.co.uk replaces it.
Best wishes,
Anne
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
Thanks. I’m
Not authorised to do that for you. Just put your new email address into the subscription box on the right hand side of this blog M
Wow, that is amazing!!! Thankyou, Malcolm.
Thanks
By the way – your posts are certainly worth a coffee or two – I’ve wondered for a while at your generosity with your wisdom and artistic craft. Hitherto and still freely given. I hope now I’ve got PayPal sorted there are a few coming your way! It was also helpful to read your explanation of how your income has been impacted by Covid 19 – that had simply not occurred to me.
Magnificent: The Charles Williams piece in its history, development and theology is a powerful paradigm shift! In CS Lewis’ Four Loves did his idea that our earthly loves will be like looking from the portrait to the Original, the rivulet to the Fountain when we look on Christ derive from his interactions with Williams? In contrast, Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame provides an example of eros not developing into agape. The point about money losing its value outside the context of exchange seems so relevant today as predicted by King Arthur’s council!
Thanks Barbara yes I think Williams on money as a medium of exchange was prophetic. I think the passage in 4 loves comes more from Augustine than Williams M
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