Trinity Sculpture
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When the Arts Committee first asked Albuquerque artist, Byron Wickstrom to come up with a design, it turned out to be something quite unexpected, but at the same time Biblically sound. Usually, a Trinity reredos ( from the Anglo-French words “arrere” meaning “behind”, plus “dos” meaning “back” and is mostly used to refer to the wall behind and in back of the altar.), might be three joined panel carvings, one for each person of the Trinity, or that all were represented separately on one large panel. It took a few minutes for Byron’s concept to “sink in” because some were waiting for the other “two” designs after seeing the clay model of Jesus Christ, the Son. When the “light” turned on, the committee saw one unified theme; not part of a panel, but the symbols used in Scripture as the “eye” of God the Father-Creator, the fire and flames of the Holy Spirit, and the risen ascending figure of Christ. His head rests in the “apple of the eye” of the Father who looks at His fallen creation through the work and merits of His only begotten Son, and sees them as “perfect” and “restored” so they can live with Him forever, as He originally intended before sin came into the world. The flames of the Holy Spirit become Christ’s symbolic covering since it is He alone who gives us the power to believe and calls and invites us to do so. Notice also, that Jesus points to the empty cross below, which is part of the whole sculpture, and to heaven above, signifying that He is the path to His Father. The sculpture is a good discussion starter on the main mission of the Church - to tell everyone how and what God has done to bring reconciliation and redemption to every single person who has ever been born, and those still to be born. When you can explain the sculpture, you can understand and tell others what the true Gospel message is. It does not escape our attention that not a single created human being is in the view. It shows only what God, the Holy Trinity, has done and continues to do for us.