Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus and others are often operating on two different levels. Jesus speaks of what he hears from the Father. Sometimes his audience has difficulty opening themselves up to the words of the Father because they cling to their own ideas here on earth, and are incapable of understanding the deep significance of Jesus’ words and actions.
Two conversations precede today’s gospel passage: one between the Pharisee Nicodemus and Jesus and the second between John the Baptist and his followers. Both stories are examples of the stark conflict between earthly and heavenly things. Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus has come from God, but doesn’t understand Jesus’ message that he must be born again from above. Nicodemus takes the words of Jesus literally and remains perplexed. John the Baptist offers a similar message to his followers, who were concerned about Jesus gaining notoriety. “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” John the Baptist says to them, “No one can receive anything except what has been given to him from heaven.” He explains that he is not the Messiah, but rather his predecessor. John utters that beautiful phrase which summarizes his witness: “He [Jesus] must increase and I must decrease.” Perhaps this line itself offers us a challenge. How can we grow smaller so that God can grow greater in our lives?
So what can offer us guidance, inspiration, and strength to follow the Lord when it is so easy to be consumed by earthly things? The Holy Spirit. And “God does not ration his gift of the Spirit.” In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples are arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin for continuing Jesus’ ministry. This time, they were not consumed by fear and anxiety but rather preached Christ with courage. The Holy Spirit was with them. Jesus offers the Spirit to us, without reserve. Have you had any experience of this Spirit in your life? Spending the last few weeks in isolation, we have all faced moments that have been challenging and difficult as we try to navigate through a new sense of normal. Perhaps we can’t live out our Christian call to service in the usual way right now, but maybe the grace of this moment is God’s offer to help us to put everything in our life in the proper order. In the absence of our usual busyness, we can use our extra time to listen to God’s words about what is most important and reorient our lives accordingly. Today let our prayer be that we can hear what is most important. Amen.
-Jessica Gabrielli