Reflection for Sunday – June 5, 2022

Readings: Acts 2: 1-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13; John 20: 19-23 
Preacher: Patrick Fox

We are living in a time of angst.  There seems so much focus on violence and it is hard to understand how one human being can act in ways that are so callous and seemingly void of any sense of living a life in light of the Beatitudes.  We can turn to what we see going on in the Ukraine, in Buffalo, and Uvalde to mention only a few places that test faith and shake us to our core.

In the midst of that we come today to celebrate the gift of the Spirit coming to abide with us as our advocate and support.  We hear in readings today that the disciples were gathered in one place, that the Spirit will give life, that those led by the Spirit are God’s children, and that whoever loves God and keeps the Word will be loved.

All of this is for me, and I hope for you, a fundamental reminder of our God who wants to be in relationship. Our God invites each and every disciple to enter into that relationship, and offers an advocate to accompany us.

Somehow we know and feel at the essence of our being that it is good relationship that matters.  That as a mentor of mine, John O’Donohue, said once, “May you learn to see  yourself, with the same delight, pride and expectation with which God sees you in every moment.”

As we linger in this moment that presents some indescribable evil, we also linger on a day when we hear in our Sequence a cry to that Spirit, that Advocate, Come, Come as welcome guest, as light divine to dwell in our hearts and heal our wounds.  We implore that stubborn hearts will bend. We rest in the surety of virtue’s reward.  We seek the healing of wounds. We invite the melting of those frozen hearts and we embrace those who have gone astray, knowing they will be called to a new center.

We do all of this in relationship, in each small step that is ours to take. We are virtue’s sure reward. We depend on salvation. But we pray today we never lose sight that we do all of this in relationship. We hear a call to forgive—not limited to a few but for each and all.  We walk with our Advocate who offers a constant gentle and firm reminder that what we have come to know as disciples that we are stewards of and for one another.

Live, Jesus, in our hearts, forever.  We chose this relationship you have offered. We linger with you in hope and support forever.

Patrick Fox
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