Love is difficult when tested.

Love is difficult when tested 

Jn. 14:15-21

Part of the farewell address that Jesus made to His Apostles on the eve of His death is our Gospel reading today.  By this time, they had become the closest of friends.  He loved them, and they loved Him very deeply. They had become inseparable.

But that relationship was soon to be tested.  In a matter of hours, Jesus would be arrested and condemned to be crucified.  Apart from John, all His Apostles would forsake Him.  Before the end of another day, He would be dead.  Jesus knew this and so He took advantage of the remaining time to bid His friends a fond farewell.

He wanted to provide for them, too, and He had to address the question of how His Church was to survive. Would they be able to carry on His message to the four corners of the Earth?  Other movements had sprung up among the Jews.  Charismatic leaders had gathered followers.  But in every case the leader had either been executed or died, and his followers had scattered, the cause lost.  Did a similar fate lie in store for the Church?  Would it survive and flourish, or would it die and be forgotten like the rest.

Up to this point, everything had depended upon and revolved around Jesus.  Any problem which the Apostles could not handle had been taken to Him He always had the solution, whether they needed courage, or wisdom, or patience.  They were totally dependent on Him.  No situation was hopeless, so long as He was there.  But come tomorrow, He would no longer be there, not in the same way as He had been.  What would they do then?  To whom would they turn?

These were the questions that Jesus addressed in today's Gospel.  He had an answer to all of them.  He was not going to let them down or forsake them. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever, that Spirit of truth."  This Advocate will be a Comforter, a Counsellor, a Helper and a Friend. He would recall to their minds all that Jesus taught them.

Jesus had befriended His disciples.  Soon He would no longer be able to do that.  He would be gone, but in His place God would send a new Friend, whom we know best as the Holy Spirit.  Like Jesus, He would teach them, lead them, comfort them and strengthen them. Unlike Jesus He would never die but be with them always.  He was the Friend who would never leave them.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit did indeed come and He began from where Jesus had left off.  He was not as visible and tangible as Jesus had been.  The disciples had to get used to that!  It required a new way of thinking.  They could no longer depend on a physical presence and an audible voice.  They had to learn to listen with their hearts instead of their ears.  They made this adjustment and soon came to realise that God had not abandoned them.  He was as much with them as Jesus had ever been, with one significant difference - this time He would never leave them.  Wherever they may go and whatever might happen He would always be there.

Lord Jesus, this same Holy Spirit will be coming to us afresh soon on the day of Pentecost.  Just as the first disciples were asked by You to await and long for His coming, we must do the same.  The more we look forward to His presence, the more we will benefit from the feast of Pentecost.  
 
We thank You Father and Your Son for sending Him to us, and let us look upon Him as our best Friend who will never leave us.

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