Solemnity of Pentecost (C)

June 9, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Acts 2: 1-11

Psalm: 104 “Lord send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”

Second Reading: Romans 8: 8-17

Gospel reading according to John 14: 15-16, 23b-26

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Homily

When we loved someone, we kept her or his memory.  All about her/him we treasured, we gave values; we gave importance to anything related to her or him that reminded us once in our lives we loved her/him.  This only shows how much we love her/him.  This is a human love, an exclusive love.  But, there is another kind of love, an inclusive love, the love Jesus shared to us all, the love he showed us until his death on the Tree of the Cross up to his resurrection and ascension to heaven that saved us and gave us new life, new hope, new opportunity to amend our lives and our relationship to one another.  “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments’.” (John 14: 15).  The same with our Lord Jesus Christ, when the time we loved him and still loving him we keep his memories in our lives.  When we obey his commands, we show how much we love him. Also, in doing his command, we continue what he started and also continue propagate it to our fellow men and women who do not know him.  We extended to them the commandment of love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of this love, of keeping his commandment, we believe without doubt that Jesus fulfilled what he said or promised.  He interceded for us to his Father.  “’And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always’.” (John 14: 16).  And the Father who loves his Son listens to the request and/or petition of his Son on our behalf.  God the Father will send and give us another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will also show us the way, the truth and the life – like our Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Person in the Holy Trinity.  Whatever Jesus said and done about God the Father, the First Person in One God, the Advocate, the Third Person in the Holy Trinity, he will lead us and introduce us also to him.  This Advocate will not leave us alone but rather accompany us until the end of time, until the time comes when Jesus comes back and brings us all from where he is.

Keep in mind what Jesus Christ told us and done to us. “’Whoever loves me will keep my word, . . .’.” (John 14: 23).  He once again said these words to give more emphasis on the importance of his word.  It is necessary that his words stay in our minds, “tumimo” in our hearts, in our whole being, and we carry them in to our lives.

The Father does not only send another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, he also loves us and comes to us and lives with us.  “’. . . and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him’.” (John 14: 23). In all the days of our lives, God loves us.  God is always with us.  He never leaves us but stays with us, as Jesus promised to us.

It is also very clear to the one who does not love Jesus.  Maybe he or she listened and heard the words of Jesus but he/she did not keep them in his/her heart and mind.  He/she is just mere listener and not a lover, not a follower, and even not a disciple of him.  Because he/she does not love him, he/she cannot even recall what Jesus said and done to him/her for there is no love in him/her. “’Whoever does not love me does not keep my words . . .’.” (John 14: 24).  He/she does not love Jesus Christ despite the many good works he did in his/her life.  The mere fact that he/she is alive, the word of God that gives life is basically with him/her but he/she does not recognize it, for his/her heart and mind is occupied with earthly, material things.

Jesus, who sent by God his Father to us, received authority over all the people to give eternal life to all who would listen to him, obey his commands and love him.  By doing these, Jesus gave glory to the Father and God the Father in return glorified his Son.  “’. . .. yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me’.” (John 14: 24). Jesus did what God said and wanted him to do.  The best thing to do by the Son is to make known the One who sent him – God the Father, and who taught him what to say, everything about God has given to him.  Whatever God told him, in a way, he also told us, and we accepted his words are true.

Jesus reiterated his words to us to make us believe in his word coming from the Father.  ’I have told you this while I am with you’.” (John 14: 25).  While he was still around and with his disciples, he told them what God the Father told him to say, so that they will anticipate whatever may come. Jesus anticipated by announcing the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Paraclete soon; so that when He, the Holy Spirit, the another Advocate comes, the disciples know already what will happen.  “’The Advocate, the Holly Spirit that the Father will send in my name – he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you’.” (John 14: 26).  All the things the disciples should know, everything about Jesus and all he told, will make known by the Holy Spirit.  With the Holy Spirit, He will guide us in believing to God the Father and to the Son in His word and in His love.