...I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!
(Mark 9:24 niv)

I like to play with, and think about, words and their usage. Lately, I have been giving thoughts to a trinity of words as defined by Webster, i.e. "a set of three." This trinity of words is made up of three pronouns used in place of their nouns within the Apostles' Creed-namely I, who, and he.

Webster also says that a creed, in a religious setting, is a "statement of religious belief." The trinity of pronouns I cited makes our recitation of the Apostles' Creed easier to confess in a corporate setting. These pronouns give statements a less awkward lilt than using the nouns they replace. However, they can also result in our weekly declaration of what we believe becoming something recited in a rote process without much thought to the meaning of what we are really saying

When next you speak aloud your Christian belief using the Apostles' Creed, I invite you to mentally "play" with my special trinity of words./p>

Every time you say the word "I" aloud, think to yourself:
   your full name believes in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
   your full name believes in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.
   your full name believes in the Holy Spirit.

Likewise, for the word, "who," substitute:
    Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;

With each use of “he” make yourself mentally state:
   Jesus descended to the dead,
   On the third day, Jesus rose again,
   Jesus ascended into heaven,
   Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father,
   and, Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I find that turning those pronouns back into nouns has a way of forcing me to think more about what I am saying. And, of course, it leads me to ask myself if I truly believe what I am saying. Sure, you will have to think quickly as the congregation-stating their belief using the pronoun version-continues to wind its way along using its routine tempo. But, accept my invitation and join me this mental activity next time you are in church; you can do it!

Lord, help me to live my life in a way that demonstrates what I claim to be in the Christian creed I so boldly state. Amen.

Contributed by Nancy
Monday October 15, 2012
Liturgical Year B: Week 47
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading:
Lectionary 28 (Proper 23)
Twentith Sunday after Pentecost