Word to the Wise
Sunday, May 9, 2010 - Sixth Sunday of Easter
[Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23; John 14:23-29]Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.....I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.
"Farewell dinners" have a certain note of sadness about them even if they are done in a humorous fashion such as a "roast." There's nothing humorous about Jesus' "farewell dinner!" His discourse builds on all that he has taught the disciples, and especially on the example he provided by washing their feet. Now he is trying to prepare them for the time when he will not longer be with them in the flesh! The passage from the "Farewell Discourse" that we read in today's gospel highlights the presence of Jesus in the believer and the community in two particular ways. The first way is a reminder of something Jesus has said over and over again. Faith in him and in his word is equivalent to eternal life and assures the presence of Jesus and his Father in the one who believes. (Older translations might use the word, "abide," for the expression, "make our dwelling." ) The second form of presence is the "Advocate, the Holy Spirit." (Again, older translations may use the word "Paraclete.") This presence is the guarantee of fidelity to the teachings of Jesus and is a binding force in the community of the disciples. Fidelity to the teachings of Jesus, and not simply a sentimental attachment to the "earthly" Jesus, will be the hallmark of the individual as well as the community. The "Farewell Discourse" can seem repetitive and abstract at times. The gospel author appears at times to have put several addresses together to form one long one. However, if we read the "prologue" and first thirteen chapters of the Gospel of John before reading the Farewell Discourse, the latter will make more sense. It's like the guest at the farewell supper getting up and reminiscing about his or her service and "legacy" to the audience. The difference here is that Jesus' legacy is eternal. And there will be no "gold watch." There will be a cross and empty tomb and the promised Spirit for his disciples. AMEN
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