From the Pastor's Desk - June 14, 2025

Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,

Many moons ago, I was a business major at the University of Maryland. One of the concepts we studied was synergy, which is the working together of different components of an organization that produces better results than the individual components working separately. The saying, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” is another way of expressing synergy. As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we can think of God as perfect synergy. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three distinct Persons, but one God; their action, whether in the creation of the universe, the governance of creation or the redemption of the universe, is perfectly coordinated and fruitful.

Since we are created in God’s image and likeness, we are meant for the mutual enrichment and enjoyment that occurs when we place our individual gifts at the service of a common goal. We often see this in great sports teams, artistic troupes, dancers, a particularly healthy work team or family. There are some common characteristics of a group working in this way: sacrificing of one’s ego for a joint goal; recognition and celebration of each one’s gifts; hierarchy of action, such that one leads and others willingly collaborate. We are also familiar with the opposite experience of a team working in this way: envy, disorder, distrust, frustration.

The Church as the creation of God should manifest this aspect of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit forms us into one body, so that we are no longer separate individuals. There is a hierarchy, so there may be leadership, collaboration and order. The Holy Spirit gives us charisms or gifts that we use to build up the body of Christ. When we as a Church take up the work of daily conversion, unite together in prayer and worship, support and encourage one another and work for the salvation of all, then we too experience this beautiful, God-given synergy.

United in the Holy Trinity,

Fr. Dave