The Day of Pentecost

The Gospel according to John
Chapter 14: 8-14, 25-27

Our Lord speaks to his disciples and to us, pointing out that his life is both our window into God, and our introduction to the Holy Spirit.

All through these weeks after Easter millions of Christians are reading this Gospel according to John. We are going back over all the things Jesus said to his disciples in the upper room just before he was crucified.

Why are we doing this? Why are we going back? I think it is because now that we know he is risen we can hear these things in a new way. There comes a moment when Philip says to Jesus "Lord, show us the Father." Philip wants something that all of us want from time to time, particularly at those times when our faith is strained and we are no longer sure of anything. Philip - and we - want certainty. We long for the specific response from God that leaves us in no doubt.

Jesus says to Philip - "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father". It is important to realize that Jesus does not say that he "is" the Father. He says that he is "in the Father". At this point words almost betray us, because at this moment we are at the heart of the great Christian mystery we call Incarnation, the meeting in Jesus Christ of humanity and divinity. We can ask our "how" questions for ever and we will not unravel this mystery.

Jesus continues. "The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do". All we know is that sometimes when we look at Jesus we are looking through a window into the nature of God. What our Lord says to us is what God wants to say to us. Our Lord's actions are his carrying out of the will of God in the world. If our lives and actions in any way reflect those of our Lord, then we are carrying out the will of God, and in some way - albeit a very inadequate way - we are reflecting the nature of God.

"If you love me" says Jesus, "you will keep my commandments". Once again, not for the first time, we hear Jesus link love to obedience. For our Lord, love is never just a nice feeling - as our culture very often understands it. Love abides where there is obedience.

"He (the Father) will give you another advocate." We are hearing a favourite theme of our Lord. He is saying that the relationship of his disciples with him cannot and will not stop at this point. These short years they have been together is no more than a beginning. The relationship will grow and deepen throughout their lives. In saying this in that long ago upper room, Jesus says this to us. The relationship between a Christian and his or her Lord must be a growing and deepening thing.

This is the Good News for this week.