Parting discourse from Jesus
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 3:15-18
Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.
John 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
In today's gospel, let us connect ourselves with the heart of Jesus. In this very touching last supper discourse, before His Passion and filled with parting emotions, He poured out His heart unto His disciples (us). His immense love for us is evident, but with mixed emotions, because He knows very well that we might not comprehend nor appreciate His love, or even reject it.
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you…” (John 14:18)
This is how much Jesus wants to be with us, even as He was about to leave this world! How this dream of His be realized? He shows us the path and also provides us the means to dwell in Him, and be with Him.
The path to dwell in Him is to keep His commandment: “love one another as I love you.” (John 15:12) This is how we can be in communion with Christ, and be able to see Him. Just as He says, “whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” (John 14:21) The state of holiness we attain through “loving one another as Jesus loves us” keeps us in perfect harmony and communion with Jesus and the Father.
And by sending forth His Spirit to dwell in us, Jesus provides us the means and the necessary help and defence that we can be with Him always. Jesus says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it.” (John 14:16-17) As we cooperate with the Spirit of truth which the world cannot accept, persecutions will surely follow; yet this Advocate will defend us, and will give us the right words to say and prompt us to do the right things.
And we need to remember to “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope; but do it with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)
Are we ready?
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