RBWords

     This past weekend, I was invited to co-preach a day retreat at one of the mission churches in the Diocese of Lubbock (in which I reside).  This diocese is characterized by many small mission churches scattered across a landscape of cattle ranches and cotton/grain/wine grape farms.  Most of the priests outside the city of Lubbock will have more than one church to pastor.  Many of the communities are quite small and lack the financial and physical resources that the city parishes have.  The people at this day retreat were truly grateful for this retreat which was centered on the upcoming [May 20th] celebration of the feast of Pentecost.  To me and my partner, it was really a matter of getting them to realize that the most important resource they have is within them - the Holy Spirit which they received at baptism/confirmation.

     In today's segment from the Farewell Discourse, Jesus promises he will send the disciples "the Advocate" who will testify to the truth.  The word, "Advocate," sparks a lot of discussion among scholars because there really isn't a good English word to translate the Greek term.  Suffice it to say, the Holy Spirit becomes the abiding presence of God in each one of us and in the church as a whole.  It is this abiding presence that can give us confidence to share our faith with others.  Our testimony may not be verbal.  It may be in a kind deed or simply by being "present" to someone who needs a friend.  

     A dear friend once sent me a story about a little girl who is not at the usual place for her mother to pick her up at the end of the school day.  Mom gets very concerned and goes looking for her little girl.  She finds her sitting on the school steps with another little girl who is holding a broken doll in her arms and crying.  Mom says to her daughter, "Where have you been?  I've been looking for you!"  Her daughter replies, "I've been here with my friend.  Her dolly is broken."  Mom replies, "That's very sad, but you can't fix her dolly, can you?"  Her daughter replies, "No, Mama, but I can help her cry!"   This is the kind of Spirit-inspired compassion that all of us are capable of if only we pay attention to the abiding presence of that Spirit and let it move us.  AMEN