Have you noticed that the weeks after Easter have had first readings from the Acts of the Apostle? These Sundays help us prepare for Pentecost by replacing the Hebrew texts of the first reading with selections from Acts. Acts is the story of the Spirit’s activities among the first Christians. The sequence of the Sunday readings is a bit confusing, since we are reading about the power and work of the Spirit’s presence already with the early church, as we lead up to the feast of Pentecost, when we will hear of the Spirit’s first coming on that community (Acts 2:1-11). These lectionary readings require a bit of mental gymnastics and adjustments in our sequence of time.
One of the disadvantages of this Easter season’s shift to Acts is that it separates God’s continual action throughout the former (Old) Testament, from the resurrection and God’s activities in the New Testament. An unfortunate effect of temporarily pulling away from the Hebrew texts gives the false impression that the work of the Spirit in the New Testament is an improvement on the manifestations of the Spirit in the Old Testament. In other words, it suggests that formerly the Spirit was hanging back, waiting to make a grand entrance on Pentecost. Yet the Hebrew texts we have heard throughout the liturgical year, indeed the entire Old Testament, shows that the Spirit was fully active from the first verses in Genesis’ creation account, up to the New Testament and beyond to our present time. That being said, let’s look at today’s scriptures.
When a guest is coming we get our homes ready. We put away things that are lying around; dust and vacuum; clear the dishes from the sink; even prepare a meal or special treats. We tidy up the place — a guest is coming. But reverse all that with the coming of the Advocate, whom Jesus says, “The Father will send in my name.” Advocate (Paraclete), a name for the Holy Spirit, is taken from a legal term used in courts which means, “someone called alongside.” It’s a person of good reputation who is called in to speak for a person on trial, either as a character witness, or to intercede with the judge on behalf of the accused — especially when sentence is about to be passed.
Thus, the Advocate is definitely on our side and sent to help us. To put it in domestic terms, the Advocate comes “to tidy up the place.” What an unusual guest! We don’t make ourselves suitable for the Spirit’s coming, instead the Spirit helps us put our place in order. The Advocate’s efforts and our own, mingle together. Our attempts to keep praying, stay faithful, pick ourselves up when we fall — feel like our own hard work. But in fact, that’s how smoothly the Advocate blends and works with us to help us become Christ’s disciples.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t pop in and out of our lives like an occasional houseguest. Rather, the Spirit seeks us out, always readying hearts and minds to respond to what Christ would want us to do in the world. When we can’t rely on our own strength, the ever-present Spirit is by our side for guidance and new life. The Christian life is hard to navigate in our modern world. When we slip up the Holy Spirit picks us up, wipes us off and continues to work with us to make new life — like a very helpful and wonderful houseguest.
Those of us who have been at prayer and Sunday worship for years might find it all becoming routine. During these periods the Holy Spirit “stands by our side” to turn our poor words to true prayer, even when we admit we don’t know how to pray (Romans (8:26-27). Jesus has fulfilled his word. The Father has sent us the Spirit in Jesus’ name. The Spirit is not passive, sitting and waiting for our prayer to pass muster. Instead the Spirit “reminds” us of all Jesus has told us and stirs us to prayer.
This reminding isn’t just accomplished by giving us a good memory. There are two periods of time in Jesus’ discourse: the present, when he is speaking to his disciples in his “Last Discourse” at the Last Supper. Soon he will no longer be with them. He also speaks of a second time period; the future time when he will no longer be with them. But they will not be on their own, quite the contrary, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, will be their companion. However, that doesn’t mean the Spirit will be just waiting for them up ahead at the finish line, cheering for them till they successfully work their way home. Instead they will have the ongoing-presence of the Spirit throughout their lives.
While Jesus is speaking to his disciples at table they still don’t understand what he expects of them. For example, even Peter initially protests when Jesus wants to wash their feet. Do we comprehend, even after all these centuries, what foot washing asks of us? Pope Francis reminded us when, on Holy Thursday, he washed and kissed the feet of the young women and men in the drug rehabilitation center. But, how soon we can forget.
We don’t know what challenges we Christians will face in the future, both as a church and individuals. How can we be prepared for what will probably come upon us as a surprise and ask courage and wisdom of us? There are no books or Internet sites that we can go to for direction and answers. Even those of us who studied theology, or have gotten a certificate in catechetics, when we find a wall of problems blocking our paths, we often flounder with confusion and anxiety.
That’s what Jesus tells us the Spirit will do — remind us — like a loving mother who peeks over our shoulder telling us before we go to bed: “Don’t forget to wash your hands and face and brush your teeth.” But the mother knows her child too well. He has more to learn about cleanliness, so the mother accompanies him to the sink and, once again, shows the child how to wash up. “Someday,” she says to herself, “Someday.”
The Spirit will continue Christ’s work by reminding us of what Christ taught us to do: not be selfish individuals, but work and share in community; turn from only focusing on our own goals and see the needs of others; let go of animosity and grudges to forgive; overcome fear and take on the heroic deeds of self-sacrifice. In Jesus’ words, “The Advocate, the Hold the Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
The Spirit isn’t a vending machine that doles out answers to problems and school exams. (Take my word for that: I flunked physics my first year of engineering college after praying to the Spirit for “wisdom and knowledge!”) Rather, Jesus promises, during times of struggle and confusion, the Advocate will help us overcome doubt and help us “remember” what Jesus said. The Spirit is with us in this “in-between-time,” after Jesus has departed and as we wait for his return. In the meantime, as the disciples had the physical companionship of Jesus, so we have the intimate presence of the Sprit now, reminding us of Christ’s teachings and enabling us to live them out.
On Pentecost we will celebrate what we have already received — just as Jesus promised — the gift of the Holy Spirit. Or, as we have described, Pentecost reminds us that the best and most unusual houseguest has come to be with us. Not to stand idly by, to observe how we do on our own, but to join us in our “housework” — tidying up the place to make it a most acceptable dwelling place for our living God.