A Filipino-Chinese businessman was dying. On his deathbed he
called for his wife. “I’m here, Honey.” He called for his eldest son. “I’m
here, Dad.” He called for his daughter. “Hey, Dad, I’m right here.” He called
for his youngest son. “Hi Dad.” The businessman’s face was flushed with anger. “Why are you all here? You good for nothing!
Who is taking care of our business?”
This scenario might force some chuckles out of us. This is
not how we expect leave-taking to happen.
We expect tear-jerking farewell messages from someone who is about to
leave us behind, or more so, someone who is about to die. A farewell message is
expected to be made up of words of love and tenderness. It is touching as it is essentially a
reminder that, after everything had been said and done, life is measured by how
much it has been shared in loving. Farewell messages are an appeal to cherish
the love that has been shared among family and friends. Also, a leave-taking message is about words
of assurance, a promise that everything is going to be fine, an encouragement
to those left behind to move on in life with confidence.
Today’s gospel reading (Jn 14:15-21) is still part of the
farewell discourse of Jesus at the last supper. But as it is proclaimed in our liturgy
at this point in time within the Easter season, it is preparing us for our
commemoration of Jesus’ departure on his ‘Ascension’ and giving us assurance as
we anticipate the celebration of Pentecost.
Indeed, Jesus’ farewell message is both words of love and assurance.
As words of love,
Jesus’ farewell message reminds his disciples of the love they have experienced
and shared among themselves and with Jesus. Jesus desires that they cherish the
love they have shared together in his company by keeping his commandments. “If
you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And what is the commandment of
Jesus? Just a chapter before this gospel reading, Jesus is portrayed giving his
commandment: “This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn
13:34).
In his farewell message, Jesus is very clear about his
desire for his disciples: that they may continue to be a community of friends
or of brothers bound together by the bond of love they have shared among
themselves and with Jesus. The model of
love they ought to have for one another is the love of Jesus. In the second
reading (1 Pet 3:15-18), Peter exhorts the disciples of Jesus to remember how
Jesus loved them: “Remember how Christ died, once, and for all, for our sins.
He, the just one, died for the unjust, in order to lead us to God.” In a word, Jesus’
love is self-sacrificing. This same
self-sacrificing love is to be the kind of love the disciples ought to have for
one another.
Do we see this kind of love among our Christian communities
of today? To love as Jesus loved means to give our lives for the sake of
others, leaving behind our comfort zones in order to help our
neighbors in need; to build a better world committing our lives to the
pursuit of justice and peace, to stand by the truth even when it feels like we're
being crucified. This is what
Christian love means. Pope Francis has been very strong in reminding the whole
Church of this essential vocation to love, to reach out to the peripheries and
break free from her self-absorption: “I prefer a Church that is bruised,
hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church
which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security” (EG,
49).
As words of assurance,
the farewell discourse of Jesus is also about boosting the disciples’
confidence. Obeying the commandments of
the Lord may not be that easy and simple for the sinful and easily discouraged
followers of Jesus. Hence, Jesus assures them with these words: “I will not
leave you orphans…” He promises them that the Father will give them another
helper to be with them forever—the Spirit of truth who will dwell in them.
The same assurance is for us too today. Our liturgy invites us to a humble acceptance
of our limitation: If we rely only on our own strength, intelligence,
and will, we will never be able to fulfill the commandment of Jesus,
not always, not every day. Lest we end up as a frustrated people, we have
to realize we are never meant to do it alone.
Jesus knows we need a helper. We need the empowering presence of the
Spirit within us. That's why, through the Church, Jesus instituted the
sacrament of confirmation, the sacrament of supernatural
strengthening.
In the first reading from the Book of Acts 8:5-8, 14-17,
Philip, the Deacon, preaches in Samaria and succeeds in baptizing a huge number
of converts. In baptism, they have become Christ's followers. But when the
news reaches the Apostles in Jerusalem, Peter and John went to Samaria in order
to call down the Holy Spirit upon them by laying their hands on them. This gesture is administering
the sacrament of confirmation.
In confirmation, we receive the gift promised by Jesus,
the Spirit. The Spirit indwelling in us is our inner source of
supernatural light and strength to live out the great
commandment of Christian charity. Do we tap
into this inner strength? Do
we allow the Spirit within us to embolden us in carrying out our vocation to
love in the same manner that Jesus loved?
Hence, this Sunday we are invited to seek the grace
to live by the power of this Spirit dwelling in us so that, as we cherish
the love of Jesus by showing him our loving obedience, we bravely fulfill his
commandment of loving one another as he has loved us.
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