The Spirit Of Truth
The time after Jesus’ death and resurrection was filled with much uncertainty. In the Gospel for the 6th Sunday of Easter (John 14:15-21), we hear how Jesus told his disciples that if they loved him they would keep his commandments. He told them that he would ask the Father to send them “the Spirit of truth”. I could imagine that the disciples had no idea what he was talking about. Sure enough, the Spirit did come and didn’t leave them orphans. Jesus told them that the world would no longer see him but that they would see him. How? By loving him.
Living and Loving Like Jesus
In loving Jesus we want to believe like him and live like him. Loving Jesus isn’t just about praying all the time or sharing our money and things. Loving Jesus is about living the truth. Living the truth requires us to be honest not only with each other but with ourselves. It’s the Spirit of God that leads us to live the Gospel. Living the Gospel is no simple task. It demands that we think of others and their needs and not always functioning with a “me first” attitude. Living the Gospel means doing the inner work of self-reflection and admitting where our faults are and finding ways to resolve them. Living the Gospel means letting Jesus shine a light on the dark side of our life and allowing his love to manifest in our daily lives. We can’t do this alone, we need the help of God and this is where the Spirit of truth plays an important role. We must find the truth that lies in us and this is where the work begins.
Look In The Mirror
No one likes to have a mirror held up to them, but mirrors reflect our behavior and attitude. What happens to us throughout our life – our experiences – mold us into who we are and determines how we will react to certain situations or people. If we keep having the same conflict or same bad experience then we must accept that perhaps the problem lies with our self. Looking in the mirror or listening to those who remind us of our faults is one way to uncover the truth. It’s uncomfortable work but like any difficult job it gets easier with time. Jesus doesn’t leave us orphans.