Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
(Acts 14:5-8; John 14:21-26)
Although we expect strict justice in civil courts, we can be rudely disappointed. The Church today, for example, is expending large sums of money on legal counsel to prevent the dissipation of all its resources in court settlements. The counsel prepares Church witnesses to answer claims of sexual abuse succinctly, directly, and insightfully so that the court will have an accurate idea of ministerial responsibility.
In the gospel Jesus promises to send counsel to his disciples as they proclaim his message to the world. He knows that however fair-sounding his teaching seems, just as reality in civil courts it can become distorted. Proclaimed with the assistance of wise counsel, however, it will overcome cynicism and even malevolence. The counsel is given different names in the Gospel of John and is translated by different words – Advocate, Counsellor, and Paraclete. But as St. Paul says in the First Letter to the Corinthians, “It is the same (Holy) Spirit.”
The Spirit is present to us today as we give witness to Christ’s truth. When children come to us confused because what the world claims conflicts with the values learned in church, we need to respond with earnestness. Being in touch with the Spirit through prayer and study will assure that we meet their needs.
