Monday in the Sixth Week of Easter
Acts 16:11-15; Jn 15:26-16:4
Three weeks ago today there was the Boston Marathon. It was a cold and rainy day - the one of the coldest and rainiest marathons on record. Nonetheless, I decided to go and check out the situation for myself on Commonwealth Avenue. To my surprise there were hundreds of people braving the rain and cheering for the runners. I was impressed by a particular group of young people who also had a banner with the name of one of the runners. I thought to myself, These people have been waiting out here for hours in the rain for a split second when their friend will run past them and it very well be that he might not even notice them since he would be so much absorbed in his running. Yet - I thought to myself - he knows that they are there with him.
I think that this can help us understand what Jesus means when he says, I will send you an Advocate from the Father. He has sent the Holy Spirit on the Church in Pentecost to act similar, in a way, to how the cheerers for the runner were doing. The Holy Spirit "ad-vocates" for us, that is, speaks for us, when we meet situations of discouragement or tiredness in our spiritual struggles. The Holy Spirit helps us continue going when we - or others in our community get disheartened.
Just a few months ago I attended a sharing group for students, aimed at offering spiritual support through friendship. It was the very first meeting and on of the first persons who shared said, "Whoever came up with this idea must have been inspired by the Holy Spirit." That is how the Holy Spirit works. We do not see him, but we see the effects, and perhaps not even us but those around us, somewhat like Lydia in the first reading: after being baptised, she says, "If you consider me a believer in God, come and stay in my home."
Jesus goes on to speak about persecution. We must be extra careful here because in our secularised western society we can very easily either fall into the trap of victimising ourselves or else of trying to stand out just for the sake of standing out, and drawing persecution to ourselves. I don't think that this is what Jesus is calling us to.
I think that what Jesus is saying is that as we try and live our christian values, we will find obstacles in our way. We know what our faith calls us to and we know that our voice can be an uncomfortable voice. Jesus does not promise that the Advocate he sends will spare us from being criticized or made fun of, or even of encountering opposition including for example on our place of work.
Therefore as we start preparing ourselves for the feast of Pentecost, let us ask the Holy Spirit to come among us and within us so that we may have the courage and the willingness to bring among us the Kin-dom of God.
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