Homilies

6th SUNDAY OF EASTER: KEEPING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS IS LOVING HIM

THE PHENOMENON OF MIGRAGTION has been obervable in the past decades. For a parent who leaves, the moment can be difficult to handle. Certainly, he or she would leave a number of instructions to the children he or she leaves behind. However, despite the pain, there is always an assurance that they would keep in touch with each other. With the help of the advance means of communications today, the children are assured that they are not left abandoned.

In today’s gospel, Jesus was preparing for his imminent departure. He was about to go back or ascend to his Father. Like ordinary human beings, his departure was not also easy to take. He knows his disciples will be sad. But he gives them some kind of assurance. He says that there is nothing to worry about because he will always be present with them. That presence comes in another form through the sending of the Advocate. Let us try to reflect on some of these moments in the gospel passage that we heard.

Firstly, Jesus gives an assurance to his disciples by saying, “I will not leave you orphans.” With his promise, Jesus shows great concern toward his disciples. When children are being left orphans, they are placed in a dangerous situation. If nobody keeps or takes care of them, it is going to be a miserable situation. Children may have a difficult life and a life without a direction. In the same way, the departure of Jesus places the life of the disciples into a difficult situation. Who will then give them guidance and direction that they need? Jesus assures them that he will send them the Spirit-Advocate.

Secondly, Jesus will have a new presence through the Spirit. His presence takes a new form. According to St Paul, this Spirit is actually the Spirit of Christ or the Spirit of the Son. Jesus describes the Spirit as the Spirit of truth. This does not mean that the Spirit will give new truths to the disciples. Let us take note that Jesus said of himself as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” So, Jesus is the ultimate Truth. If Jesus calls the Spirit as Spirit of truth, what he means is that the Spirit will be with the disciples in order to teach them and to guide them to all truth. The truth or the truths have already been revealed by Jesus. It is now the turn of the Spirit to enlighten the disciples so that they would understand the truths which were taught or given by Jesus.

Thirdly, Jesus gives his own expectations to his disciples. As in the case of a departing father, he would tell his children to behave accordingly during his absence. He would tell their children to love each other, getting rid of quarrels, and study well. On the part of Jesus, his departing instruction to his disciples was to keep his commandments. He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Thus, keeping Jesus’ commandments is the consequence of their love for Jesus. It is an indication or a proof that they love Jesus. In the final analysis, the commandment that Jesus referred to is the commandment of love or the commandment to love one another.

This then calls us for a healthy attitude toward the commandments of God and commandments of Jesus. In our childhood catechesis, we have been taught about God’s commandments and laws of the Church. When we were younger, we observed them because we had the fear of God. But as we grow older, our attitude starts to change. Often we defy these commandments. We seem not to fear God anymore. But we have look and reflect once again on the words of Jesus: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments… Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.” Therefore, observing the commandments is but our expression of the love of God.

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