Sunday Reflections

In the readings (John 14:15-21) for the Sixth Sunday after Easter, Jesus prepares the Apostles for His imminent departure from their midst by reassuring them, “I will not leave you orphaned.”. The idea of being an orphan leaves one with a sense of loss and abandonment. An orphan may feel frightened of being alone with no support system. Even as a mature adult to lose the remaining parent is unsettling. Often, we take for granted that an elder will always be there for us until they are not. So, Jesus reassures the Apostles that there will be continuity in divine presence and continuous support available to them 

Jesus asks His Father to send His advocate/ Holy Spirit to dwell in us so that we will always be in an intimate relationship with Jesus, and with God, our Father.  While the concept of the Holy Trinity is a very challenging mystery of faith, Jesus goes even further, to introduce the idea of our inter-connection with the Divine. The idea of understanding such a personal relationship with the Divine is overwhelming. In anticipation of the ascension of Jesus and the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Jesus reassures us that the Holy Spirit will abide in us and keep us united with God the Father, and God the Son, Jesus. God’s presence in us is love. This love is visible in our relationships with God and with others.

Twice, Jesus instructs His followers to keep His commandments out of love rather than out of obedience. The beloved acts out of desire to please the one loved. The love we express for each other is the love of the Spirit in our lives. May we always be aware of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and may we be called witnesses to Christ in our lives. The more and more people accept the saving message of Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit, the greater joy to be celebrated.