Sixth Sunday of Easter April 27, 2008

John 14:15-21  The Greek word “paraclete” literally means “one who calls out for another” and could be translated as spokesman, mediator, intercessor, comforter, or a defense counselor. Here it is translated as “advocate”. For whom will the Holy Spirit be the advocate? In 1 John 2:1 Jesus is called the Advocate before the Father for any person who sins. The Holy Spirit’s role as Advocate as expressed in the Gospel of John is different. Jesus will continue to be the Advocate for sinners in the “court” of our heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit will be an Advocate for Jesus for Christians. In verse 26 we are told that the Holy Spirit Advocate will teach and remind us of all that Jesus had done and spoken. Likewise, in John 15:26 Jesus says the Advocate testify to him. But the Holy Spirit then becomes the Advocate for Christians for their support and defense against the challenges they will face for living the faith. Mark 13:11(also Matthew 10:19-20 and Luke 12:11-12) indicate that the Holy Spirit will speak for Christians and give them the words to say when they are brought before civil authorities for being followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit will not come merely for a visit but will remain forever, continuing to speak the truth of Jesus to us and through us. No moment would show so clearly the convergence of these two dynamics as the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost followed by their proclamation of Jesus to thousands of people in the streets of Jerusalem that same day.

Reading 1, Acts 8:5-8, 14-17  The emperor Augustus awarded the city of Samaria, ancient capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, to Herod the Great in 30 BC. Herod renamed the city Sebaste (the feminine form of the name Augustus in Greek) and rebuilt it into a beautiful Greek-style city with a new city wall, theater, acropolis and colonnaded main street. Luke uses the older name for the city, also the name of the region between Galilee and Judea. When a persecution broke out in Jerusalem following the murder of Stephen, followers of the Way “scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1). Acts 8:4-25 recounts the early ministry of the church in the Samaria region.

Reading II, 1 Peter 3:15-18  As mentioned in the commentary three weeks ago, Peter was martyred for the faith in Rome between 64 and 67 A.D. The letter, likely written from Rome in the time leading up to Peter’s death, is addressed to Christians in regions where he had evangelized and who, to some extent, were being affected by the same persecution. Peter encourages them to be strong in the testimony of lives of love for one another and a positive hopeful attitude based on the promises of our faith. People should be drawn to ask Christians what motivates them to live in such a way. Then the verbal testimony can be shared with “gentleness and reverence”. During times of persecution, Christians will be able to give testimony by suffering unjust treatment without returning evil for evil. The truth will eventually come out and people of good heart will be drawn to faith in Jesus Christ through such testimony.