Good Threes for Trinity Sunday—on the Occasion of Liam White's Baptism

 

When whippoorwills call and evening is nigh,

I hurry to my Blue Heaven.

A turn to the right, a little white light,

Will lead me to my Blue Heaven.

 

I'll see a smiling face, a fireplace, a cozy room,

A little nest that nestles where the roses bloom;

Just Jilly and me, and baby makes three,

We're happy in my Blue Heaven.

 

Just Jilly and me, and baby makes three.

 

Good things happen in threes. Here are three good threes for Trinity Sunday:

1. Two years ago July 16,2011: Clarke, Kimberly and God, all three, met here for the Celebration and Blessing of their Marriage.
2. Today: Clarke, Kimberley and Liam ( and baby makes three) are here for the Ministration of Holy Baptism. Wisdom!
3. In doing so, Clarke and Kimberly are bringing Liam to join a community which God; Father Son and Holy Spirit; ordained to be the crucible and home base in which to teach Liam to learn to live another good three; faith hope and love; the greatest of which, Paul wrote is love, which is what and who God is and also the greatest commandment.

And not only that but we're here today to celebrate and, as we prayed in our Collect of the Day, acknowledge the glory of the eternal, blessed and most Holy Trinity as, in the power of the divine majesty, we worship the Unity: one God in three Persons: the mysterious and best three of all. "Keep us steadfast in this faith," we prayed, "that we may evermore be defended from all adversities."

 

Which brings us back to Clarke and Kimberly and baby makes three. In a few moments we will pray that God, the Father, the first person of the Holy Trinity, will "grant to Liam that which by nature he cannot have; that Liam may be baptized with Water and the Holy Spirit," the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, "and received into Christ's," the Second Person of he Holy Trinity, "holy Church, and be made a living member of the same."

 

Clarke, Kimberly and Kristen, Liam's Godmother, will, on Liam's behalf and in his name, profess the Christian and Trinitarian faith and commit to defend Liam from all adversities, because bad things happen, too, sometimes in threes, by renouncing "the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh." They will also "acknowledge the duty to keep God's holy will and commandments, walking steadfastly in the way of Christ," and promise to pray for him "and take care that he may learn and do all these things" too, including "all other things that a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health." Things like learning to pray and "take his part in public worship," "the Creed, the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer."

 

Why is all this so important? Because, just as Jesus said to his disciples in the first verse our Gospel this morning (John 16:12), he still has many things to say to Liam, but Liam is too young to hear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, Jesus said, he will do another three (among other) good things:

1. guide you into all the truth,
2. Glorify Jesus
3. Take what belongs to Jesus (which is all that the Father has v15) and declare it to you

What they are promising this morning, and the duties they are taking on will ensure that they maintain contact with God, the Three in One and One in Three, and that Liam will not only grow up to do the same, but come at last to live eternally in a heaven which is way more than just blue.

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