Continuing education

In the next few weeks, students in our elementary and secondary schools will be completing the current academic year.  As they look forward to the year ahead, many of them may grow anxious at this time of the year.  In addition to examinations and tests, many of them will be changing classrooms, encountering new teachers and perhaps even moving from one school to another.  Any such change in the routine that has been established is bound to bring with it a certain sense of anxiety.

Jesus knew that as the hour approached when he would have to be separated from his disciples, they too would grow anxious.  In order to encourage them, he assured them that they would not have to face the future alone: ... the Advocate, the Holy Spirit ... will teach you ... and remind you of all that I have said to you (Jn 14:26).  A number of days after the Resurrection, this promise was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was sent to strengthen the disciples.  Renewed in their conviction, they then set out with renewed courage to carry out the mission of teaching others about Jesus, about the words he had spoken and about the lessons he had taught.

We have been reading about the adventures of the disciples throughout the Easter season.  They travelled widely, reaching places that they had never visited before.  From this distance in time, I have often thought that they were constantly enthusiastic and eager to tell others about Jesus, but their enthusiasm was not necessarily received well in all cases.  There were also others who joined in the effort to spread the good news, but sometimes, even despite their good will, there were problems, and these challenges needed to be addressed.  We have heard the details of one such instance in today's first reading:  Certain individuals came ... from Judea and were teaching, 'Unless you ... follow the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved' (Acts 15:1).  When the appointed leaders heard about these teachings, they knew that they needed help in order to clarify the matter, so Paul and Barnabas, ... were appointed to go to Jerusalem to discuss the question with the Apostles ... (Acts 15:2).

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas discussed the situation with the apostles.  They shared their own words of advice and they prayed for guidance, relying as always on the presence of the Holy Spirit for guidance, and the result was that the disciples sent Paul and Barnabas back, along with Judas and Silas in order to help the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:23) to grow in their faith.

Since that time ... and even to the present day ... the leaders of our Church continue to send priests to various communities of believers, including this one, so that the work of spreading the gospel can continue.  Day after day, we must keep before us the vision described in today's second reading (Rev 21:10-23) and we must find ways to strengthen the faith of those we meet.  When all is said and done, it is the Holy Spirit - the Advocate - who continues to inspire us and to remind us of all that Jesus has taught us.