READINGS FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A, SUNDAY 14TH MAY, 2023
First Reading: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Psalm: 65
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18
Gospel: John 14:15-21
REFLECTION BY FR CORNELIUS NWAOGWUGWU, CM
ANOTHER ADVOCATE PROMISED
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today is the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A. In this reflection, four questions will inspire my thoughts on the readings of our liturgical celebration today. The questions are:
- Who is the Advocate promised?
- Can the origin of this promised Advocate be traced to the Old Testament and New Testament books?
- What are the roles of this Advocate in the mission of the apostles and the church?
- How can we experience the Holy Spirit in our daily lives?
Jesus came into this world to reveal to us the goodness of God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus went about doing good. After Jesus had completed His good mission in this world, He promised to send another Advocate to His disciples.
Who is the Advocate promised? Today’s Gospel provides the answer to this question. Jesus said: “I shall ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you for ever, the Spirit of truth whom the world can never accept since it neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he is with you, he is in you.” (John 14: 16-17). Jesus promised not to leave His disciples as orphans. It means Jesus Christ will not abandon them nor forsake them. He promised them an Advocate. It is interesting to note that the other Advocate promised by Jesus is the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. The fulfilment of this promise was at Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection and ten days after the Ascension of Jesus Christ.
With regard to the second question, some biblical evidence can help us to trace the origin of this promise of another Advocate. The Old Testament books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the New Testament with particular reference to St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians confirm the origin. In the days of the prophets, God had promised to make a new Covenant with His people. He had promised to put His law within His people, writing it on their hearts, that He might be their God and they might be His people (Jeremiah 31:31-33). He had also promised to put a new spirit within His people, to remove their heart of stone and to give them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19, 18:31, 36:26). God had promised to put His Spirit within His people to enable them to follow His statutes and be careful to observe His ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:27). In the New Testament, St. Paul tells us that this promise has been fulfilled. Paul said: “Do you not know that you are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
The role of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate cannot be over emphasised in the mission of the apostles and the church. After the Pentecost experience, the Holy Spirit has been with the church since the time of the apostles and continues to be with the church until our present day. Jesus revealed to us the role of the Holy Spirit in the mission of the church. Jesus said that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Counsellor, the Teacher of Truth will guide and guard the apostles and the church forever. The church continues to keep our Saviour’s command by loving and caring for all souls entrusted into her care. The risen Saviour said: “Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him.” (John 14: 21).
As human beings, we are weak. The Holy Spirit has a huge role in our daily lives. We need the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate who speaks up for us when we are accused, judged, or wrongly perceived. When these happen, Jesus says: “do not be afraid.” The Holy Spirit will be your witness and testify on your behalf. The Holy Spirit gives us life, stands by us, defends us, strengthens us, and consoles us. The Holy Spirit assists us in our inadequacies and enables us to cope with life in the true Christian spirit. The Holy Spirit is our Companion, Teacher of Truth, Helper, Counsellor and Comforter. The Holy Spirit protects us from the evil one. The Holy Spirit enables us to become stronger in faith. The Holy Spirit comes to our aid and gives us the strength to make difficult and painful decisions. The Holy Spirit lives in us and guides us in the way of truth. The Holy Spirit reveals to us what God is really like by empowering us to practice mutual love and by providing us with trustworthy guidance. The Holy Spirit enables us to manifest our love for God by observing the commandments of Jesus, especially the commandment of love. This commandment includes, commands to recognize Jesus in the poor, the sick and those on the margins of society. The Holy Spirit helps us to be agents of healing and reconciliation in a broken world.
In conclusion, as we continue to wait in joyful hope for the fulfilment of the promises of Jesus in our lives both individually and as a community, we pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to see the truth about ourselves. This will enable us to discern the blocks that inhibit our growth and to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us by opening our minds and hearts to hear Him and to obey His promptings.
May the Holy Spirit help us to profess our faith boldly, to bear witness to the truth of the Lord, and to stand for what is right and good always through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Fr. Cornelius Nwaogwugwu, CM.