November 20, 2022
Gospel – 5/18/20 – John 15:26-16:4A
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.
“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”
In the upper room Jesus says to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” Poor Thomas, always being so human but willing to say what others are thinking.
By nature of being Christian, we are evangelists. Which means, we are charged with carrying the Good News (the Gospels) to the World. Even though we haven’t seen the holes in his hands and side, we are sent. That’s a tough job when “the World” hates Jesus and thus hates us.
My oldest is a dancer in Europe. At the beginning of Lent, she sent me a story on Twitter, about receiving the Ashes. It was a nice story to her Catholic Deacon Father. But the responses were scary. We are hated because of who we follow.
We may even, find ourselves in very dangerous circumstances – possibly death. It’s happening around the world, every day. He warns us.
“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”
We are evangelists. We are children of God. Siblings of Jesus himself.
We need the Spirit of Truth.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 