“The Promise of the Advocate” by Colleen O’Sullivan

“The Promise of the Advocate” by Colleen O’Sullivan

 

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24-25

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when [the Advocate] comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears and declare to you the coming things. John 16:12-13

Piety

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations, Through Christ our Lord.  Amen

Study

At the recent Triduum retreat at Loyola-on-the Potomac, the talk which I have thought about every day since was given on Holy Saturday.  Fr. Bill Rakowicz, SJ., talked about growing up in his close-knit family.  He also spoke about the day he had to tell his mom that he had asked to become a missionary and that his Jesuit provincial had agreed to send him to Micronesia.  To soften the blow and leave something of himself to be remembered, he planted a large perennial garden at the family home.  Then he related that to Jesus’ desire to leave something of himself for his first disciples and followers in every generation, so he gave us the gift of his Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

In this week’s readings from John’s Gospel, the disciples are still gathered around Jesus after their final meal together.  Jesus is doing his utmost to prepare his friends for life when he is gone to be with the Father.  He sounds frustrated that all they seem to hear is that he is leaving them. 

The disciples remain so wrapped in their anticipatory grief that they don’t seem to hear what Jesus is saying about the Advocate:  Jesus has to leave so that the Advocate can come to them.  Without the Advocate, they will be able to do nothing.   The Spirit will give them the strength to continue Jesus’ mission and ministry.  When the Spirit comes, the Lord says, the people living in darkness (what John calls the “world”) will realize their sin in not believing Jesus was who he said he was. 

Jesus advises his disciples that the Advocate “will guide you to all truth.” The Advocate will treat the world the way the world treated Jesus – with condemnation. Jesus further advises his disciples that the Advocate “will guide you to all truth.”

When I read of the seemingly miraculous events in the early church that unfold in the daily passages from Act of the Apostles, I have to believe that all of it – including yesterday’s freedom for Paul and Silas -- came about through the Spirit.  Less caring individuals than Paul and Silas might have taken advantage of the situation and merely escaped from the jail.  Knowing that their guard’s very life is at stake, they stay put for his sake.  In turn, the guard becomes convinced that Paul and Silas are who they say they are.  The Spirit compels the guard to ask what he needs to do to be saved.  The jailer takes them to his house, where their wounds are washed.  Then the entire family is baptized, after which a meal is served. 

Action

We celebrate Pentecost one day a year on the liturgical calendar.  But the Spirit didn’t come just once.  Every day the Spirit of God breathes new life into each of us and the entire community of God.  All we need to do is open our hearts to that holy presence.

When you are praying today, consider how the Holy Spirit has been and is at work in your life, and give thanks.