Word to the Wise
Monday, April 30, 2018 - 5th Week of Easter - Mon
[Acts 14:5-18 and John 14:21-26]"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. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name---he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." [John]
APRIL 30 ST. PIUS V [Pope and Dominican Friar]
The Farewell Discourse introduces two important themes in today's segment: the relationship between a disciple and Christ and the role of the Holy Spirit. The relationship theme has been present throughout the gospel but expressed more in terms of belief. Jesus has said all along that the one who believes in him HAS eternal life. Here the relationship is expressed as one of love, a more personal dimension. Jesus and the Father enter into the life of the one who loves them. On a more human level, we might think of how a friend enters our life and becomes part of who we are!
The second theme, the Holy Spirit, is part of the preparation of the disciples for the inevitable moment when Jesus is no long physically present. The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee that Jesus is not abandoning the disciples then or now. I know that in my own ministry of preaching, I count on that presence "to remind me of all that Jesus has taught me." No matter what I say, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that makes my words effective in different people and in different ways.
The love of God and the presence of a teaching Spirit are part of any healthy spirituality. Where might we find that in our own experience? AMEN