May 09, 2010
6th Sunday of Easter
Jesus says to his disciples: “I am going away and I will come back to you.†Logically, this statement is understandable if the going and coming are two separate events in time but what if they occur at the same time. Confusing? Personally, I say, “I don’t know if I am coming or going.†In the Gospel of John, the going and coming of Jesus (i.e. his death, resurrection, ascension and sending of the Holy Spirit) are one movement. Jesus assures us that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, whom the Father will send in my name, will remind us of all that Jesus told us. The gift of the Holy Spirit is evident in our 1st reading from Acts as the apostles face a critical issue that is tearing the Jewish and Gentile Christian communities apart: must Gentile Christians become Jews before coming to Christ? The disagreement is resolved by: respectful listening; careful attention to the movement of the Spirit in the present circumstance; study of Scripture; reflection on tradition; respectful debate and discussion; and not least of all, silence and prayer. The first Christians were able to arrive at a solution that allowed for communal living in peace among people of differing convictions. We have a model for conflict resolution today.
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5th Sunday of Easter
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Feast of the Ascension
