Three gifts from the Risen Lord
Key messages: I am going, but I will come back, and I will send you the Spirit
May 22—Sixth Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Psalm 67, R. O God, let all the nations praise you!; Revelation 21:1014, 22-23; Gospel—John 14:23-29
Today’s Gospel reminds us of three gifts that the Risen Lord gave us: the Spirit, peace and the assurance not just of His presence but of His return.
The past days, as well as in the days ahead, we will reflect on these messages of the Lord. Two key messages: I am going, but I will come back, and I will send you the Spirit.
Three great mysteries here: His Ascension, the Pentecost and His coming in glory. The first two complete the Paschal mystery and the third completes the central mystery of our faith.
Wonderful season
What a wonderful season of grace to remember and reflect on all this with the hope and prayer: Lord, let our hearts burn within us again.
The promise of the Spirit: “I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (cf. John 14:23-29)
The promise is to let the Spirit remind and teach us. Furthermore, the Lord called the Spirit the “Advocate,” the Paraclete, someone who is called in to help—very similar to a lawyer.
Jesus is calling in or sending the Spirit to help us by reminding us and teaching us. We receive the graces of remembering and deepening our understanding.
Starting point
I refer back to the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. (cf. Luke 24:13-35) The Risen Lord helped them to remember, and through this they began to experience an interior movement that led them to recognize the presence of the Risen Lord.
These were the signs of understanding: the sensing of their hearts burning within, recognizing the presence of the Risen Lord and rejoining the missionary community in Jerusalem, whose proclamation was, the Lord is Risen!
These are the same gifts available to us through the Spirit. This now becomes our starting point where the Risen Lord now gives us, through the apostles, His gift of peace.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”
The Peace of the Risen Lord is a way of life and not simply a momentary experience. As such, it is not an absence of challenges, anxieties, struggles and even suffering, but that “in spite” of all these, there is the gift of peace.
It is a peace won through the Cross and Resurrection, which have overcome sin and death. In this sense, no one and nothing can take this away from us.
This is certain. Moreover, there are other gifts that come with this that we often overlook.
In the greeting of peace at Mass, the presider prays: “Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: ‘I leave you peace, my peace I give you.’ Look not at our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your Kingdom where You live forever and ever.”
Communal grace
It is the peace of the Kingdom of God and a peace that brings the unity of the Kingdom. It is not just a personal, individual grace, but communal.
These are the “tools” or “instruments” that the Risen Lord not just promised, but made available to the Church as we saw in the witnesses who have gone ahead of us.
These now are placed in a horizon that strengthens our faith and hope, and gives us the grace of courage.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’”
It is the assurance of the Risen Lord and the promise that He will come back to us.
All this gives us hope, courage and inspiration to live our life in the power of the Spirit, always in the peace and unity of the Kingdom, and with the sure and certain hope that He will come again in glory.
On that day, all persons of goodwill will be united in the presence of the Father, Son and Spirit.
What a bright and promising future. May it inspire us to live here and now with hearts burning within.