Walking in a trinitarian wonderland

You remember how, when Israel crossed over the dried-up Jordan, Joshua had the Israelites take twelve large rocks from the center of the riverbed to build a monument to the event at their first encampment (Joshua 4:1-9). Have you remembered to celebrate its later equivalent?

Today’s reading is from the Book of Linus, chapter 12, verses 34–41:

• 34 And it shall come to pass, in the day when thou comest unto thy new homeland, where the snow falleth upon the ground in like fashion as the manna did appear in the wilderness aforetimes,
• 35 That thou shalt prepare from the newly fallen snow three large boulders, according to the measure of the split rocks that thou didst find in the mountains. Of three different sizes shalt thou prepare them, all of the same material and of the same roundness.
• 36 Thou shalt place the largest of the snow boulders directly on the snow-covered earth, according as God is the maker of the earth and the heavens, the sea and the dry land.
• 37 Thou shalt place the next largest snow boulder atop the largest, according as God the Son is the only-begotten of the Father and did live his life on the earth in obedience to the Father. Thou shalt place the third snow boulder atop the other two, according as the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son (unless thou followest the tradition of the Eastern Church).
• 38 Thou shalt take of the earth and of the fruit of the earth, of minerals and of vegetables, to embellish the assemblage of snow boulders; with rock and branch and food shalt thou embellish it. Thou shalt form it into a form resembling the image and likeness of man.
• 39 Thou shalt take unto thyself garments wherewith to clothe the image; headdress and neck bindings shalt thou apply unto it; and thus shalt thou strive to perfect its resemblance to the inhabitants of the land wherein thou dwellest, recalling that in like semblance unto this did thy Lord visit men and women of earth for their deliverance.
• 40 And it shall come to pass that when thy children shall say unto thee, What meaneth this man of snow? and why is this image different from other images that we make for ourselves from the snow?
• 41 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because in like manner did the Lord thy God form man from the dust of the ground, and because thus did the living bread which came down from heaven, taking unto himself human flesh. Amen.

Clerk’s log, mJDate 54458.83: As our pastor spoke on Joshua 4 and the significance of Christmas and memorials, I couldn’t help but think of the above passage (the Book of Linus is a hot seller here at the Scriptorium, albeit under the table). When I spoke to him about it, he observed that it was clear that I had just come off a fourteen-hour shift (and, verily, it was so). He also made some reference to Monty Python; I have no idea at all why.

Looking again at the passage with better-rested eyes, I realize one thing: I’ve encountered Christmas rituals that make a durn sight less sense (“Black Friday,” anyone?). Perhaps the time is right for trinitarian snowmen.

ll of us here at MARS Creative Projects (MARS Stitches, Brother Osric’s Scriptorium) wish you and yours a most merry and blessed Christmas!