Sixth Sunday of Easter, cycle A

JOHN 14:15-21
I JUST GOT BACK FROM A SHORT VACATION WITH MY WIFE, MY 13 GRANDCHILDREN, SIX CHILDREN, THREE SONS IN LAW, AND ONE MAYBE SOMEDAY SON IN LAW. IT WAS A REALLY GREAT TIME, AND I HOPE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN IN TEN YEARS OR SO. WE WENT TO OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND, JUST IN TIME TO EXPERIENCE RAINSTORMS AND ARCTIC WINDS, SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME INDOORS. AND POSSIBLY BECAUSE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA'S ROOM WAS CLEAN AND RELATIVELY EMPTY, AND OF COURSE BECAUSE IT HAD LOTS OF FOOD AND LIQUID REFRESHMENT AND A PLACE TO WATCH TELEVISION WITHOUT YOUR PARENTS GETTING MAD, IT ACTED AS A MAGNET FOR GRANDCHILDREN. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT MY VACATION.
SERIOUSLY, I LIKE TO WATCH MY DAUGHTERS AND THEIR HUSBANDS INTERACT WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE LITTLEST ONES FALL AND ARE IMMEDIATELY SCOOPED UP. THE SLIGHTLY OLDER ONES GET OUT OF LINE AND GET DISCIPLINED, BUT IN A WAY THAT IS BOTH FIRM AND LOVING. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE PARENTS FORCE THE OLDER KIDS TO DO SOMETHING THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO – LIKE A DAY TRIP TO ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, OR A WALK ON THE BOARDWALK, OR A VISIT TO RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND THE CHILDREN COME BACK EXCITED, HAVING LEARNED SOMETHING, HAVING EXPERIENCED SOMETHING NEW. AND I WATCH MY DAUGHTERS AND THEIR HUSBANDS PATIENTLY WATCHING THEIR CHILDREN AS THEY ENJOY THE POOL, ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TROUBLE; I WATCH THEM AS THEY KEEP A VIGILANT EYE ON THE KIDS RUNNING AROUND ON THE BEACH, LOOKING FOR SHELLS. AND I SEE THEM MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE SOME ACTUAL NUTRITION AT SUPPER, NOT JUST THE ICE CREAM.
THE GREEK WORD THAT ST JOHN USES IS PARACLETOS, THE ENGLISH VERSION OF WHICH IS PARACLETE. THE WORD MEANS “SOMEONE WHO STANDS BESIDE” AND WAS USED TO DESCRIBE A PERSON WHO PLEADED YOUR CASE IN COURT, OR A PERSON WHO TUTORED YOU IN SOME SKILL, OR A PERSON WHO GUARANTEED THAT YOU WOULD PAY A DEBT. JESUS IS SENDING THIS PARACLETE SO THAT HIS DISCIPLES, YOU AND I, WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO STAND BESIDE US – IN SHORT, A SORT OF PARENT, TO COMFORT US, TO DISCIPLINE US, TO TEACH US, TO PROTECT US, AND EVEN TO NOURISH US WITH TRUTH, THINGS JESUS DID WITH HIS APOSTLES.
JESUS HAD TO BECOME A PARTICULAR MAN AT A PARTICULAR TIME, BORN OF A PARTICULAR MOTHER, LIVING IN A PARTICULAR PLACE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT HE COULD BE TRULY, FULLY HUMAN. BUT SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE SO THAT HE COULD BE WITH EACH OF US, ALL HIS DISCIPLES, DOWN THROUGH THE AGES, LOVING US. THE TRUTH THAT THE SPIRIT REVEALS TO US IS THAT JESUS, ALTHOUGH NO LONGER VISIBLE TO US, HAS LIFE, THE LIFE THAT HE GIVES US; AND THAT THE PRESENCE OF JESUS IS THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER, SINCE HE IS IN THE FATHER, AND THE FATHER IS IN HIM. THE FATHER IS LIKE THE AIR WE BREATHE, HE IS FULLY PRESENT TO US IN THE DEEPEST PART OF OUR BEING. AND THE SPIRIT REVEALS THAT PRESENCE, AND THE SPIRIT TAKES US UP INTO THE HEART OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JESUS AND THE FATHER. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE IDEA!
HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THOSE POPULAR BOOKS BY PROMINENT ATHEISTS? THEY HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT GOD IS NOT A THING, NOT A BEING LIKE YOU AND I; WE ARE IN THIS FATHER, AS JESUS IS IN THE FATHER; BUT THE FATHER IS IN JESUS, SO HE IS IN US AS WELL. AND THIS HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED, AND ONCE EXPERIENCED, ALL THE ARGUMENTS IN THE WORLD WILL NOT CONVINCE US THAT GOD DOES NOT EXIST.
BUT ALAS, THERE IS A CONDITION FOR ENTERING INTO THIS INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIP; IT IS TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS. SO WHAT ARE THEY? WELL, PROBABLY YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THE GREAT COMMANDMENT, TO LOVE GOD WITH OUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELF. BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE -- LISTEN: FEED THE HUNGRY, GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY, CLOTHE THE NAKED, AND SO ON. GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM; IF SOMEONE STRIKES YOU ON THE CHEEK, OFFER HIM THE OTHER CHEEK. IF YOU GO TO OFFER SACRIFICE ON THE ALTAR AND YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A BROTHER, GO AND SETTLE THAT PROBLEM FIRST. LET THE LITTLE ONES COME TO ME. SOMEDAY WHEN I RETIRE, I AM GOING TO MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE “COMMANDS” THAT JESUS IS RECORDED AS GIVING TO US. EVEN THOUGH THEY ALL DO BOIL DOWN TO LOVING GOD AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR, JESUS GIVES US EXAMPLE AFTER EXAMPLE OF WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT GREATEST COMMANDMENT, AND THE SECOND ONE LIKE UNTO THE FIRST.
SO IF WE WANT TO RECEIVE THE GIFTS THAT JESUS HAS FOR US – THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, THE GIFT OF LIFE LIKE JESUS' OWN LIFE, THE VERY PRESENCE OF THE FATHER, THE REVELATION OF JESUS TO US, THEN WE MUST LOVE JESUS AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.
AS I WATCH MY DAUGHTERS AND THEIR HUSBANDS, I AM STRUCK BY THE WONDERFUL PLAN OF THE GOD; A YOUNG COUPLE GETS MARRIED, -- AND IF YOU ARE HONEST, YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE DON'T GET MARRIED FOR PURELY UNSELFISH REASONS – I CERTAINLY DIDN'T. BUT CHILDREN COME ALONG, AND RIGHT AWAY FROM DAY ONE, THE PARENTS, IF THEY RESPOND TO THEIR SPECIAL GRACE OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY, BEGIN TO BE SAINTS, THEY BEGIN TO DO ALL THE COMMANDMENTS THAT JESUS GAVE. AND IF ADDED TO THAT THEY HAVE A LOVE FOR JESUS, THEY BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE IN THEIR OWN LIVES ALL THE PROMISES THAT JESUS MAKES – AND THAT SPURS THEM ON TO GREATER LOVE, FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND BEING A PARENT MAKES IT EASIER FOR YOU TO GRADUALLY EMPTY YOURSELF OF ALL THOSE SELFISH DESIRES AND ATTACHMENTS, TO BE REPLACED BY THE LIFE THAT JESUS PROMISES, AND THE LOVE THAT HE OFFERS. AND THE GOING IS TOUGH, NO QUESTION. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE MARRIED COUPLES GET 15 TO 30 YEARS IN WHICH WE PRACTICE THE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS ON THE CHILDREN WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN, AND BY THEN, WE ARE IN THE GROOVE, WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO SAINTHOOD, AND ALL THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES WE HAD ARE JUST SO MUCH DUST.
SO TODAY, IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, REMEMBER YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER, AND YOUR CHILDHOOD, AND THAT IS SOMETHING LIKE THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE PARACLETE. AND IF YOU ARE A PARENT, THINK OF YOUR SITUATION AND SEE IN IT, NOT A BURDEN, NOT SOMETHING THAT KEEPS YOU FROM YOUR FULL POTENTIAL, BUT RATHER, A VERY REAL PATHWAY TO SAINTHOOD.