6-3-19 - Loved Forever

(You can listen to this reflection here.)

Don’t we want, more than anything, a love that will never go away, never diminish, never end? That human longing makes poignant even our sweetest relationships. Knowing that our beloved will grow up and maybe away, or will one day depart this life, or our life, is what puts the bitter into bittersweet.

Next Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, that great day when the Holy Spirit came in power upon Jesus’ unsuspecting disciples and turned them into apostles. This game-changing event is not reported in any of the four Gospels – it appears in Acts. The Gospel reading appointed for Sunday is from John, and shows us Jesus trying to explain to his followers the gift of Holy Spirit that God will send:

"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 for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.'"

Is Jesus saying this great gift will come only if they keep his commandments? Is the Holy Spirit a reward for good behavior? I don’t believe that is Jesus’ message. I hope he is saying, “If you love me, keeping my commandments will come naturally to you. And as you live in my truth and walk in my ways, you will be open to receiving this gift the Father will send.” This gift is covenantal, not contractual.

Jesus says this Spirit of truth is an advocate, someone who will stand by them in times of trial and equip them for ministry the way he did – only this relationship will not be limited by time or space. “He will be with you forever.” A love that is forever – that fulfills our deep-seated longing.

And it gets even better: we don’t have to go looking for this love, this power, this presence. Jesus said the Spirit of God will abide with us, even in us. We won’t be taken over ala “invasion of the body snatchers," not possessed by God’s Spirit in a way that invalidates our unique selves. Rather we will be abided with, walked with, held close, counseled and consoled – by God, right here within us. Always. That is a gift worthy of eternity. And it is already ours.

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