Sunday Gospel Reflection
"...he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
Introduction:
"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets." So we attest each Sunday. This amazing truth which is captured in such a succinct and profound statement, is amplified in the readings for this sixth Sunday of Easter.
Jesus, knowing that he was soon to leave his disciples, was concerned that they not feel abandoned, or in his words, orphaned. Jesus having lived among us for some thirty years, and having experienced the increasing hostility of the world against the things of God, knew that not only would the disciples feel abandoned, but that they would have a difficult time following him and his manner of life. Jesus knew that it would become increasingly difficult for them to show their love through their obedience if they were left all alone. So in his grace and foresight, he interceded with the Father to send a Paraclete, a helper, one to come along beside us and live within us.
Perhaps, for us, the Holy Spirit's most important function is to indwell us. There, living within believers, he enables us to love and obey the Father and the Son. No matter where we go, or what we do, he is committed to going there with us, and helping us love and obey.
Sometimes he must be appalled by the places we go and the things we do, but he does not abandon us even when we walk away from the light. Instead he consistently speaks to our heart and mind, pricks and prods our conscience, and elicits from within us our repentance and our conversion. When in obedience we endeavor to do great things for God, whether simply the greatness of giving love and forgiveness to others, or the more complex forms of dedicated service, he is there helping. It is he who equips us with giftedness. He it is who takes our efforts and multiplies them beyond our ability. It is he who gives wisdom, strength, courage, and comfort. What would we do without him?
Pope John XXIII in Journal of a Soul wrote, "The Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of life, and it is he who sanctifies the soul. Is not the Christian a living temple of the Holy Spirit? And what a wealth of benefits to the soul comes with this indwelling of the Lord's Spirit!"
It is important that we cultivate an awareness of the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence. For when we become increasingly aware of this Holy Guest who lives within us we will also become increasingly yielded to his influence. We can begin this cultivation by consciously asking the Holy Spirit to fill our life through and through. Then each day we should renew this invitation to our Holy Guest to make himself at home in our heart.
First Reading
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
5 Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and proclaimed to
them the Christ.
6 And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was
said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs
which he did.
7 For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed,
crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 So there was much joy in that city. ...
14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,
15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive
the Holy Spirit;
16 for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only
been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the
Holy Spirit.
Second Reading
1 Peter 3:15-18
15 but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be
prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in
you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;
16 and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are
abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
17 For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should
be God's will, than for doing wrong.
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous
for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but
made alive in the spirit;
Gospel Reading
John 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples:
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate to be with you always,
17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because
it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in
you.
18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you
will see me, because I live and you will live.
20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you
are in me and I in you.
21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one
who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and
reveal myself to him."
Bible Study
Jesus said to his disciples:
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate to be with you always,
------Here, and in verse 26, the
Spirit is said to be sent by the Father in the Name of Christ. In John 15:26 Christ sends
Him from the Father - Christian tradition has spoken of the procession of the Holy Spirit
both as from the Father through the Son and as from the Father and the Son. The Spirit is
"another" Advocate because the Son Himself has been the first. Some translations
use the term Paraclete instead of Advocate; Paraclete is a legal term that had been taken
into Jewish use, signifying an advocate/ helper/ mediator.
17 the Spirit of truth,
------This term partially defines the
role of Advocate, to guide the Church in truth. Truth is His characteristic as it has been
that of the first Advocate.
17b which the world cannot accept,
-----Neither could the
world accept the Son, refusing to see in Him the revelation of the Father.
17c because it neither sees nor knows it.
-----The presence of the Spirit
will be visible, as was the true nature of Christ, only to the eye of faith.
17d But you know it, because it remains with you, and will
be in you.
-----The Holy Spirit will
be both in the Church and in the early Christian.
18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
-----The coming of the Spirit will
also entail the coming of the Son (and the Father as we
find in verse 20) because of the shared life of the persons in the Trinity.
19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but
you will see me,
-----Again, through the vision of
faith; for Jesus will depart shortly from the sight of the world.
19b because I live and you will live.
-----In His glorified
state, the life of Christ is the principle by which Christians also live the life of God;
with the indwelling of the Holy Trinity.
20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and
you are in me and I in you.
-----Jesus will not be absent from
them because He and His disciples share life - the life of the Father. Living this life,
the Christian will experience (know), in varying degrees depending on his sensitivity to
the divine presence, the affirmation of his faith - the Father, Son, and the Church share
the one life.
21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one
who loves me.
-----It is not sufficient merely to
acknowledge the law of Christ, one must also observe it in their life. Obedience is the
proof of love, which in turn makes possible the communion between God and man. The
condition of the shared life which is promised is love and obedience.
21b And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I
will love him and reveal myself to him."
-----He will also not be
absent because they share a common love - again in the Father.
Meditation
What makes us both truly human and truly like God? Love for certain. It is love that unites us in a bond of fellowship with others. From the very beginning of creation God said: it is not good that man should be alone (Genesis 2:18). We were created in love for love -- to be a community of loving persons, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in love. John Henry Newman said: We love because it is our nature to love, and it is our nature because God the Holy Spirit has made it our nature. Jesus speaks to his disciples of the inseparable bound of love between himself and the Father, and of their love for humankind. In Jesus we see the fulness of God's love and how God's love is directed to our well-being. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him (1 John 4:9).
How do we know that God truly loves each of us? In the cross we see the proof of God's love for us and the incredible price God was willing to pay for our redemption. Jesus gave up his life that we might have life - abundant, everlasting life with God -- a life of love and unity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever. Through the cross Jesus opened a new way of relationship for us as adopted sons and daughters of God - his beloved children (Romans 8:14-17). Jesus calls his disciples to walk in his way of love through obedience to the will of the Father. True love is more than sentiment or good intentions. As important as these may be they are not the proof of sincere love. True love for God is expressed in obedience and obedience is expressed in love.
Jesus promised to give his followers the best of gifts, the Holy Spirit as their Counselor and Helper. How does the Holy Spirit help us? Counselor is a legal term for one who defends someone against an adversary and who guides that person during the ordeal of trial. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Helper who brings us safely through the challenges and adversities we must face in this life. The Holy Spirit is also the Giver of life -- the life of God -- and the One who guides us in the way of truth. We can never stop learning because the Spirit leads us more and more into the knowledge of God's love and truth. Jesus also promised his followers the gift of peace. Peace is more than the absence of conflict or trouble. Peace includes everything which makes for our highest good. Trust in God, faith in his promises, and obedience to his word lead us to peace and safety in God's presence. That is why a Christian need not fear or be troubled by anything.
Reflections:
· Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you.
· "If you love me, you will keep my
commandments. (John 14:15)
----What is the relationship between love and
obedience?
----Can you find the similarity in respecting and
obeying your parents? How much do you love them?
· On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and
you are in me and I in you. (John 14:20)
----Have I ever felt the presence of Jesus living in
me? How do I recognize and react to his presence?
· List the many promises pertaining to love and obedience contained within this passage.
. Which of these promises concerning love and obedience is most important to you? Why?
. What can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus?
To live His Word this week:
· Do not criticize or gossip about someone who normally
disturbs you.
. Spend sometime to examine yourself in God's presence and ask
God for forgiveness for not keeping His commandments.
For Youngsters:
. Donate one of your toys to charity.
Prayer
O God, you are the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings and the bestower of affection, who sends peace to those who receive it. Open to us this day the sea of your love and water us with abundant streams from the riches of your grace and from the most sweet springs of your kindness. Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace; enkindle in us the fire of your love; sow in us your fear; strengthen our weakness by your power; bind us closely to you and to each other in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity." (ancient prayer from Syrian Clementine liturgy)