by Fr. Tommy Lane
As we approach the time when we celebrate Jesus’ ascension, our Gospel today (John 14:15-21) is an excerpt of Jesus’ words to the apostles during the Last Supper promising that he will ask the Father to send the Spirit. In the Gospel, the Spirit is described as the Advocate (Paraclete in Greek), which in John’s Greek means “the Spirit is one you can call on to be beside you to assist you.” The Spirit is the Spirit of God with you to assist you. Jesus said he would not leave us orphans when he would ascend (John 14:18).
While Jesus promises the Spirit to his apostles, and by extension to all of us his followers, there is an ominous note: the world cannot accept the Spirit “because it neither sees nor knows him.” (John 14:17) So, we have the way of the world and the way of God, and unfortunately the world—to use the words of Jesus—cannot accept the Spirit because it neither sees nor knows the Spirit of God. There is a way of thinking and living that is the way of God, and there is a way of thinking and living that is not the way of God. Those caught up in the way of the world do not see or know the Spirit, so the way of God seems like foolishness to them and those following the way of God appear foolish. For those who have the Spirit of God, everything is different and certainly not foolish. Those who have the Spirit of God have, we might say, a more godly perspective on life and the world and see everything from the perspective of eternity with God in heaven.
From the point of view of the world, one would expect that when God would become flesh, his birth would be in the most luxurious circumstances possible. But no, Jesus was born in the most abject of circumstances. From the point of view of the world, one would expect that God-become-man would die with the best care available at that time. But no, Jesus was executed as a criminal by means of the most gruesome form of the death penalty available at that time—crucifixion. From the point of view of the world, one would expect that God-become-man would live in the best of circumstances. But no, Jesus grew up in a small village, Nazareth, and during his public ministry lodged in the home of Peter, a humble fisherman, by the shore of Sea of Galilee in Capernaum.
Not only everything about Jesus—his birth, life, and death—showed that the way of God is not the way of the world, but Jesus’ teaching also revealed a divine perspective that is not the way of the world. So Jesus’ beatitudes turn upside down what the world values. It is not uncommon to hear someone’s employment spoken in terms of the salary, especially if it is a large or very large salary. Yet, in the beatitudes Jesus said those who know their need of God are blessed: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:3) It is not uncommon to speak about a person in terms of their career or promotion. Yet surely there is nothing to compare with being a mother and wife, with being a father and husband. The world may look up to you because of a career or promotion but as a mother or father you leave a mark on your children and therefore on all whom they meet, and as a result also on their children, and so really for generations to come. Surely there is no career that compares with what you give your children for life. We could look at so many aspects of our lives and thinking and see that in some ways we are contaminated by the spirit of the world. No wonder Jesus says in today’s Gospel that the Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17). The Spirit is truth and leads us to see the world and ourselves and everything from a godly perspective (truth). The Spirit of God heals the wounded thinking of this world if we give God’s Spirit a chance.
So how do we give God’s spirit a chance to heal our wounded thinking? In our first reading (Acts 8), we heard one way: through the sacraments. Two of the apostles, Peter and John, prayed over and laid hands on the Samaritans and they received the Holy Spirit. The successors of the apostles, the bishops, continue that ministry by imparting the sacrament of confirmation. The grace of a sacrament can unfortunately be left dormant. That is why prayer is so important. By praying every day we give God’s Spirit the chance to work in our lives, to heal the wounded thinking of this world. By praying every day, we get more in touch with God. If we abandon prayer, then unfortunately what Jesus said in the Gospel can happen: we will not know or see the Spirit of truth (John 14:17). Pray until prayer becomes a joy, and any tainted thinking is healed.
Everything about Jesus—his birth, life, and death—showed that the way of God is not the way of the world. Jesus’ teaching turned upside down what the world values. Some values of the world are at variance with the way of the Spirit of God, and the way of God seems like foolishness, and those following the way of God appear foolish. But for those who have the Spirit of God, everything is different and certainly not foolish. That is because the Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), leading us to see the world and ourselves as we really are in the eyes of God.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2023
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Sixth Sunday of Easter Year A
If you love me you will keep my commandments
Related Homilies: Loving God with all our heart and loving our neighbor as ourselves
Loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves 2018