His Word Today: Audacity

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage for today presents yet another moment during which Jesus was instructing his disciples about the times that were to come.  He told them: The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name: he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you (Jn 14: 26).  Jesus gave his disciples a lot of information during those precious moments, but at the time, the words he was speaking were difficult to hear.  They could not fathom the possibility that their trusted companion would somehow not be able to continue as their teacher.

Instead, Jesus was telling them about what was to come: about his suffering and death, but also about his resurrection and about the face that the Advocate would be sent for them, to accompany them and to help them to be courageous in their task of spreading the good news.

Indeed, the Spirit did come and the disciples were filled with audacity as their own faith was strengthened.  They went out from their own hiding places and found their way to places near and far.  The Acts of the Apostles recount their adventures, including the encounter that Paul and Barnabas had when they arrived in Lystra, a city in Lycaonia.  Like Peter, Paul and Barnabas met a crippled man who had been lame from birth (Acts 14: 8).  They could easily have walked past him but instead they stopped, looked at this man with deep concern and compassion and then invited him to stand up, having been healed of his infirmity.

Such miraculous happenings were only possible because of the apostles belief and faith, and because of the presence of the Holy Spirit - the gift of God who was sent into the world in order to accompany those of us who are his disciples.  Like Peter, Paul, Barnabas and all those who were called to go out into the world, we too must dare to stop when we are confronted with the miseries of the world.  We must have the audacity to look at people with deep compassion and we must have the faith to do what we can to help them.  Many others before us have done just this, and we can too.

Have a great day.