The Advocate, the Holy Spirit!

Sixth Sunday of Easter

25 May 2025

 

First Reading: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

Gospel: John 14:23-29

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

In the previous Sunday’s Gospel reflection, we have learned how love does no harm to a neighbor (Romans 13:10a), covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), and is therefore the fulfillment of the law.  (Romans 13:10b) We have also learned that love [unlike power which is damaging], is enough to get everything done (a quote often attributed to Charlie Chaplin); and how love is enough to make wonders out of acts so little (a paraphrase of Mother Teresa’s well-shared saying).

This Sunday, we learn Who is our Help—our Advocate in our endeavor to love continuously amid our being imperfect—the Holy Spirit Godself. God has shared with us the Holy Spirit to inscribe in our hearts His Law; “For [we, in our piety to the Law,] are [the “letters” of recommendation of which Paul spoke], written not with ink nor on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts by the Spirit of God.” (2 Corinthians 3:3) It is the Holy Spirit Whose counsel instructs us in our abidance of God the Father’s Precepts and refinement of virtues and whole selves. This is why there is much to rejoice in Jesus’ Ascension which we celebrate this Thursday, May 29. Jesus has shared with us the Holy Spirit to navigate life in His instruction. Christ has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us so that when He comes back and takes us with Him, we may be where He is (John 14:3); “[a wonder] no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived, [which] God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) These are all part of God’s redemptive mission.

There is much to share in God's command for us to love as there is in His Good News: that we are saved by His grace through Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection—all feats of love themselves. As Christ said in the Gospel, [it is beneficial] that He tells us [of the Ascension] before it happens so that when it finally happens, we may believe (John 14:29), and so that our hearts, moved by the Spirit, are spurred towards betterment and eventual action.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to aid us in all things in life. May the grace we receive from the Holy Spirit mobilize us for the good work You have set for us with and may all these be the expressions of love which You ultimately call us to do. These we ask in the most holy Name of Jesus Christ with the intercession of our loving and Blessed Mother, Mary, Amen.