Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C May 26, 2019
Fr. Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette
What is the most difficult commandment to keep? Jesus reminds us that “whoever loves me keeps my word.” Jesus’s words – his commandments – can be challenging. Because of lust, the sixth and ninth commandments are a common struggle. It’s pretty tough to “forgive as you are forgiven.” And who doesn’t wrestle with “love your enemies?” Yet, there is one command that Jesus gives right here, and in a thousand places throughout scripture, that is quite possibly the most difficult of all: “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
Fear and worry are universal human experiences that seem to be mostly outside our control. Does Jesus really mean we should feel no fear at all? How can he say that? Because what he commands, he also empowers us to do. “My peace I give to you.” What is this peace and can it really protect our hearts from fear and trouble?
“Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” When the world offers peace, it is usually the absence of something. The absence of war. The absence of controversy. The absence of something or someone to bother me. The worldly picture of peace is being at home minding your own business – no trouble from the neighbors, the government, or even from the church down the street. Don’t make me do things. Don’t waste my time. Don’t invade my privacy and comfort. Leave me in peace.
But that’s not the peace Jesus offers. Nathanael gets pulled from his peaceful rest under a tree. Simon is taken from his fishing. Matthew is called out of his lucrative job as a tax collector. Jesus calls them to a poor life on the road full of hunger, rejection, and lots of work. Even this promise of Christ’s peace comes mere hours before he is arrested, tortured, and executed. What kind of peace is that?
It is a peace beyond understanding. And it comes not from the absence of conflict, but the presence of something else: trust. 10 of the Apostles flee the cross because of fear. John the Apostle, the Evangelist, stays not because he is naturally strong or courageous, but because he has enough trust to stay even as he watches Jesus die on the cross and hears people mutter similar threats about himself.
Great, but John had Jesus there with him for years. What about others? What about us who don’t get to learn to trust Jesus in person, flesh and blood before our very eyes? How do we trust a man we’ve never seen? The Holy Spirit. Jesus gives this Spirit an interesting title that tells us more about him. The Greek word is Paraclete, which means several things. Each of these meanings teach us something about how to recognize, and trust, the Holy Spirit – to find the peace we seek.
The first meaning is what Jesus says right here. The Paraclete “will teach you everything.” The teaching of Jesus is not left up to mere men. The Holy Spirit guarantees that the saving truth of the Gospel is never lost to future generations. Even in our first reading, a complicated theological question comes up: should non-Jewish Christians be circumcised. When the Apostles debate the issue and make their decision, they say this: “it is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us.” The doctrines of the Church are not mere human ideas, they are proof that the Holy Spirit has protected us from losing the truth, often despite the many priests and bishops who have tried to change it. Contrary to the world’s opinion, the doctrines of the Church bring freedom and peace. Recognize the Holy Spirit and trust him by following these teachings. They offer a stability and a peace you won’t find elsewhere.
Our translation also calls the Holy Spirit the Advocate. He prays in you and for you. He advocates for your salvation, your holiness, your happiness. He even advocates for you to yourself, offering comfort and consolation against the temptation to despair. Also called “comforter” or “consoler,” the Holy Spirit can be there when we are distressed, angry, sorrowful. The best way to experience this comfort is to have total honesty with God in prayer about your struggle. Lay out your anger, your sorrow, your worries, even when they’re directed at God. Express them in prayer until you can’t anymore and then see if you don’t feel better. Sometimes there is a sense of comforting presence and immediate peace. Sometimes it just a subtle willingness to get up and carry on. With time, this kind of openness in prayer, which is really openness to the Holy Spirit, will comfort you and show you a peace that isn’t the absence of trouble, but the presence of trust and grace to get through it.
Then there is the title “counselor.” The Holy Spirit advises you, gives you counsel on what to do. Learning to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit is a life-long process, but the starting point is fairly simple. It starts with your conscience – the ability to recognize right from wrong. Especially if you pray regularly, your conscience is the Holy Spirit nudging you in the right direction, urging you away from the wrong. Just as a trustworthy friend is someone able and willing to convict you about a mistake, so the Holy Spirit convicts us not to punish us, but to bring conversion and healing. Let him do just that.
The Holy Spirit, this Paraclete is the only way to “not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” We must also realize that this command is not about your feelings. When scripture says “heart” it means your will, your decision-making, your identity. The feeling of fear still comes, but, with the help of the Holy Spirit as teacher, comforter, and counselor, it will have no power over your heart. You will have strength to trust God, even in the midst of trial. That trust is the beginning of true peace.
So, if you want to keep Jesus’ word, to be able to prevent your hearts from being troubled and afraid, then look to the Holy Spirit. This is a good time for that, too. Pentecost, that great feast of the Holy Spirit, is two weeks away. Prepare for it with prayer and even with fasting. The idea of a Novena actually came from the 9 days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday, so join me in praying the Holy Spirit novena, starting this Friday. Copies can be found by the door. Look to the Holy Spirit for peace. Pray, trust, and do not let your hearts be afraid.