Not long ago, I was introduced to an icon said to represent the Holy Trinity by Andrei Rublev.
The first time I saw this icon, I couldn’t appreciate the depth of the image. It was only after someone explained the details of the colors, proportions, geometric shapes, and something beyond what had escaped my initial perception, that I began to perceive something I could never have imagined.
The image, described in a very basic way, depicts three angels seated at a square-shaped table. Each angel has a staff and a cloak. The color of the cloaks is what differentiates them.
But it was something “missing” from the icon that caught my attention the most.
The table has four sides, and there are three figures. This leaves a space available for someone to sit.
A keen observer of the icon discovered that there was a residue on the surface of the icon in the area where no one is seated. After several analyses, it was discovered that this residue was some kind of adhesive; the question that arose was: – What for?
What appears to have been attached to the surface of the icon in that area was a mirror. It was at this point that my critical thinking paused.
And you, can you imagine what purpose the artist had in placing a mirror next to where the Trinity is represented? Does anything stir within you?
In my case, beyond thinking about why or for what purpose, it was as if I had been transported to a place where my senses were the ones receiving the information. I didn’t need to think about anything, nor did I need to reason through anything. I just had to live it. I had to experience it.
This artist is attributed with an experiential wisdom that he was able to express in this icon.
Again, the angels represent the Trinity, and the unoccupied space at the table would have had a mirror.
The idea is that when a person stood in front of the icon, they would see themselves reflected. This posture places the observer with the Trinity — that is, being part of the Trinity.
And you, can you imagine being with the Trinity?
And here is where Rublev’s genius enters. Without words, through a mirror, he offers us an invitation into the mystery of God.
God is One, and He is Three. Not three gods — One. God is a community, with you and with me.
I don’t know about you, but in catechism I was told that God was like a clover, like a candle, or like water in its three states (liquid, solid, and gas). And in the end, they told us that there’s no way to truly understand it. Well then, why even try to explain it?
That’s why this icon, for me, didn’t explain — it invited me into an experience. And yes, it’s true — it’s hard to explain.
Literally, I had to sit many times in front of this image, not to try only to understand it, but to try to live within it. God in Himself is relationship, and God invites me into that relationship.
And you — would you like to accept that invitation to relate with the mystery of God?
Human relationships can be some of the most difficult things to bear. We have so many differences and disagreements that the easiest thing to do is criticize, condemn, fight, and even attack one another.
The letter to the Romans tells us that through faith, we are already in the world of grace, remaining in peace with God through Jesus, and receiving love through the Holy Spirit.
Could it be that we haven’t known how to accept that invitation to relate properly with one another?
This is where simply contemplating the image has been a great support for me.
If the Spirit leads you, take several moments throughout your week to contemplate this icon.
If the Spirit leads you, bring your difficult relationships into prayer.
If the Spirit leads you, share those struggles with Jesus the carpenter. And perhaps you’ll discover the best way to navigate the situation. God is a community, and you are part of that community.
Marisol
P.S. We can hear about our entry into the world of grace in the readings for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, Year/Cycle C.
