Sixth Sunday of Easter
John 14:23-29 (NRSV)
The Father will send the Holy Spirit
Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
John 14:23-29 (NRSV)
The Father will send the Holy Spirit
Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
Reflection
"I am going away, and I am coming to you." I can see one and then/or the other, but both at the same time? This statement seems to puzzle me. But in some way, since they are the words of Jesus, I don't doubt them.
As we read the Word, and believe the stories we read, and as we live our lives and experience the awesome presence of God, it doesn't seem all that far-fetched that God could go away and come at the same time. Just at the moment you think God has left you, and that for me really seems to be the moments I left God for sin, I turn around and realize that he has come to me. Come to me in the movement of the Spirit, come to me in the form of Jesus through another person, but come to me. Come to me perhaps as an angel, or a revelation and even at times a dream or message. Just at the time you feel that separation from God due to something you have done, you feel the presence of God in another form.
In some ways I'm reminded of the prodigal son. Even though he had wandered from his father, the spirit of his father was with him in his mind and soul. He left the father and ventured into sin, yet the father was still with him. And then when he came back to his father, he was welcomed with loving arms.
Return to Jesus, don't let your hearts be troubled. God is closer than you could ever think or imagine. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Thank you Lord, for never leaving...thanks! --- Amen
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