Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord (Jeremiah 17.7) (Epiphany 6C)

 “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord” (Jeremiah 17.7)

(Epiphany 6 Year C, 2025, Rev. John Gishler)

 

We had a baptism at St. Luke’s last week where we asked, “Do you Put Your Whole Trust in His Grace and Love?” The Jeremiah Reading mirrors Jesus’ teaching known as the Beatitudes. They are a basic guide or way of testing our faith or love of Jesus and hope of eternal spiritual life.

 

1.    Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Matthew adds the words “in spirit” which helps us understand that Jesus is talking about the humility of the heart not materialism:

Baptism of Water and the Holy Spirit (Baptism of Jesus Readings)

 “No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit (John 3.5) by Rev. John Gishler, 2025

 

In the Gospel Reading Luke 3.16 John the Baptist tells the crowd I baptize you with water but the one who is to come, will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Water symbolizes the washing away or dying emotionally to the past, self-centred and sin-controlled life. Holy Spirit baptism is like an invisible holy fire that cleanses us, energizes us and gives us the gifts we need for our baptismal ministry. Holy Spirit baptism has been lost in many intellectualized and liberalized churches. I was baptized as an infant and confirmed without any serious teaching or experiences of Holy Spirit. The loss of the fire of Holy Spirit baptism has disempowered many Christians and made the Church irrelevant to secular culture.

 

1. Examination Questions for Infant Baptism

Miracles Open Our Eyes to Supernatural Truth (Epiphany 2, Year C)

The Gospel story of the Wedding at Cana is an Epiphany moment for the Disciples. They suddenly realize the meaning of Jesus miraculous powers. We are all skeptics of what people say. As the person about to be elected Pope in the movie The Conclave says – “The Church is not about tradition, the Church is about what you do next.” Jesus sacrificed His personal peace / safety by saving a bridegroom from disgrace and revealed His divinity. Miracles open our eyes to supernatural truth

 

1. A Dangerous secret is revealed at Cana

The Baptism of Jesus -A New Covenant

The Bible is the story of God reaching out to man to establish a covenant relationship. A covenant relationship was an ancient relationship between a king or ruler, and his subjects. The  ruler would provide protection and land. The man would obey the ruler, serve in his army and pay taxes. We need to understand the history and importance of these covenants: 

1.     Adam and Eve would obey God and not eat from the one tree and live forever in paradise with God