Sunday's Gospel: Who Is the Advocate?

The following is republished with permission from my column in Catechist magazine. For subscription information, visit catechist.com.

May 21, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Gospel Reading: John 14:15-21

In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse” (John 14–16) continues. In this short excerpt of the discourse, Jesus assures his disciples that, although he will be leaving them soon, he will remain with them. But how?

Jesus tells his followers that if they keep his commandments, the Father will send them “another Advocate.” The Greek word translated here as “advocate” is parakletos, a word that typically refers to an advocate or mediator (but is sometimes translated as “comforter”). Jesus already serves as a mediator between God and his followers, but now he is speaking of sending another mediator, one he identifies as “the Spirit of truth.”

It is clear that the Spirit is distinct from Jesus, and yet the Spirit allows Jesus to continue to be with his followers, to be revealed to them, and even to love them. Thus Jesus can say that even though the world will no longer be able to see him, his disciples will. This is the power of the presence of the Spirit of truth.

As if this were not enough to boggle the minds of the disciples, Jesus adds this mysterious nugget: “I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.” The unity of Jesus with his Father is an oft-repeated theme in John’s Gospel. But now Jesus draws his disciples into this wonderful communion. It may seem that a mediator is no longer necessary if we are “in Jesus” and he is “in the Father.” Perhaps Jesus is saying that it is precisely this revealing Spirit of truth that makes this intimacy with the Father and Son possible.

We may not understand everything Jesus is saying in his Farewell Discourse, even in this small piece of it. But one message is clear: Although we cannot see Jesus with our eyes, he remains with us. He urges us to believe it.

ASK YOURSELF: Do I feel the presence of Jesus? Or is it something I must accept on faith?

ASK YOUR STUDENTS: Do you think the disciples were ever confused by Jesus’ words? Do you think they came to understand some of his teachings after he died and rose from the dead? Why? How?

PRAY: Spirit of truth, mediate for me, comfort me, and reveal Jesus to me.

LIVE THE GOSPEL: The Holy Spirit is described by Jesus as a paraclete — a mediator, an advocate, or a comforter. How can you be a mediator or an advocate for someone this week? How can you mediate the presence of Jesus by supporting or comforting someone?

In this lovely image by Charles Plessard (goache on paper), the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus as he is baptized by John the Baptist. Illustrations of the baptism of Jesus allow an artistic expression of the intimacy between Jesus, the Father and the Spirit that we read about in this passage from John's Gospel. Image courtesy Sacred Art Pilgrim.

In Every Life: My New Collection of Blog Posts Available on Amazon!

I’m excited to announce that my second book, In Every Life: 50 Reflections, is now available on amazon.com as a paperback or eBook.  In Every Life is a collection of my blogs from 2015-2016. (That Mighty Heart is my 2014 blog collection, also available on amazon.)  To go to the amazon page, click here.

I’m very grateful to my talented and generous brother, John Vineyard, who designed the beautiful cover for me.  Thank you, John!

I’m also proud of the cover because it sports book endorsements from three special people in my life:  Jim Forest, Cackie Upchurch, and Fr. Frank Matera.  Trifecta!

“Amy Ekeh writes one of the best liturgy-centered blogs, as this collection bears witness. Column after column she finds surprising stories that anchor her insights to the real world as well as to the church calendar. And did I mention that she has a sense of humor? If you get the paper edition, put it in a handy location. And if you read the e-book edition, it will be just a few clicks away.” – Jim Forest, author of biographies of Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton and Daniel Berrigan

 “Beadwork is done by selecting the appropriate colors and shapes, having in mind a final look that will make a necklace or bracelet.  It’s a fine craft to create a piece that is beautiful and timeless. In this book, Amy Ekeh proves that she knows how to select just the right colors and shapes of the spiritual life, stringing them together to make a fitting gift. Her sources are liturgy, family life, Scripture, ministry, even the radio!  She’s perfected the art of finding beauty and humor and, therefore, finding God.” – Cackie (Catherine) Upchurch, Director, Little Rock Scripture Study

 “God is always present to us, but we rarely experience that presence. Amy Ekeh, however, has learned to see God’s presence in the ordinary events of life we take for granted. Throughout this book, Amy shows us how to enjoy the God who is always present to us. Read and savor this thoughtful collection of reflections.” – Frank J. Matera, Professor Emeritus, The Catholic University of America

Thanks also to Mary Lee and Joe Gaffney, Jim Creed and Ruth Vineyard for their valuable editorial assistance!

In Every Life is also available at any of my programs. 

If you read the book, I would love for you to review it on amazon.com!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement as blog readers and as friends!

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That Mighty Heart on Amazon!

Just a note to let you know that my 2014 book, That Mighty Heart, is now available on Amazon as a paperback or eBook! 

I would love it if any of you who have read the book could take a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon.  Here’s the link:  That Mighty Heart on amazon.com.

I’m working on my next blog collection entitled In Every Life, as well as a new title in the Little Rock Scripture Study Series Alive in the Word that will be available in the fall (Lent: Season of Transformation).  I’ll keep you posted! Thank you for reading!

Sunday's Gospel: Self-Preservation vs. Love

The following is republished with permission from my column in Catechist Magazine.  For subscription information, visit Catechist.com.

FEBRUARY 19, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:38-48

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus continues to examine laws and take us to a deeper, more demanding understanding of them. He continues to follow the “antithesis” formula: “You have heard that it was said ... But I say to you ... ”

This excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount provides us with some of Jesus’ most revolutionary and challenging teachings. First Jesus acknowledges a long-standing law of retribution: “You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'” (verse 38). This ancient way of living in community, though it may sound harsh to our modern ears, was indisputably logical and certainly effective in preventing some crimes. If you knew that if you gouged someone’s eye out, they could lawfully gouge your eye out, you might think twice about doing the gouging in the first place!

And yet, as we might expect, this ancient law was far from Jesus’ ideal. He proceeded to teach something far less logical, something that goes against the grain of just about every human instinct we have: “But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well” (verse 39). Jesus goes on to offer similar difficult teachings about giving to anyone who asks, and serving anyone who makes a request of you. All of this is to be done without expecting anything in return.

The next antithesis is even more difficult: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (verses 43-44). This may be the most-ignored teaching of Jesus in the history of Christianity. How often do we excuse ourselves from it because it seems so extreme? How often do we tell ourselves that Jesus did not mean it for our particular situation? How often do we secretly deem it impossible? Indeed, as Jesus continues to preach, we discover that he wants us to live like God himself: “For he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and unjust” (verse 45). Being like God is a tall order, but Jesus does not say “try” or “sometimes.” He simply says to do it.

Our most basic human instinct is self-preservation. Jesus is challenging this instinct. He wants us to receive his teaching with the total dedication of a true disciple. If we do, our instincts can gradually be reshaped. Self-preservation falls by the wayside as we begin to instinctively act out of love for others. This teaching is as revolutionary now as it was then. To intentionally make sacrifices for the sake of others is the way of Jesus himself, the way of the Cross, the way of true discipleship.

ASK YOURSELF: In what area of my life can I live these difficult teachings? How can I avoid retaliating, even in small ways? How can I show love for someone who is opposed to me in some way?

ASK YOUR STUDENTS: Do you think it is impossible to love someone who is your enemy? How might you learn to do this? When Jesus says we should allow someone to strike us, do you think he means we should allow others to physically hurt us or verbally abuse us? Help your students distinguish between abuse (which should never be tolerated) and situations where they can safely choose not to retaliate (discuss some examples).

PRAY: Lord Jesus, you must think very highly of me to have such wonderful expectations of me! Help me to live up to your expectations. I can only follow your teachings if you help me.

LIVE THE GOSPEL: This week identify someone in your life who may not be an “enemy” but who is difficult to live with, work with, or be around. Ask God daily for the grace to love this person. Pray for this person. Find small, concrete ways to extend kindness to them.

Grisaille (underpainting) of Jesus and Thomas by Jack Baumgartner.  The stance of Jesus in this scene demonstrates the absolute receptiveness of Jesus to the other.  It might be trite to say a picture speaks a thousand words, but this one actually does.  Published with permission.  More of Jack's incredible work can be found here. 

Magnificat Reflection on Parenting: "Christ's Own Forever"

My thanks to Magnificat for allowing me to republish the following reflection, which I originally wrote for their column “She Pondered These Things in Her Heart” (January 2017).  

"Christ's Own Forever"

A beautiful thing about ritual is that the words of our rites often echo in our minds when we need them most.  Raising four children in a world of conflicting voices can be a daunting task.  When my husband and I worry about the choices our children could make and the harm that might come to them, the words that reverberate in my mind and heart come from an old baptismal rite, one I heard many times in my own youth:  You are marked as Christ’s own forever. 

Releasing our children into the hands of God is perhaps the most difficult and the most liberating thing we can ever do as parents.  We begin at their baptism by marking them as Christ’s own.  It seems so easy when they are babies dressed in pure white!  But as they grow – as they form their own ideas, opinions and lives – we realize this “release” is a process that lasts a lifetime.  It is a prolonged exercise in trust, for we must trust that if we let go – if we release the anxious grip we have on our children – that he will catch them!  He will hold them in a protective embrace that does not restrict them in the least.  He will sort out the mixed messages in their hearts and penetrate his gaze into the deepest, truest parts of their souls.  Only God can do these things.

Our children are growing up in confusing times.  But we have given them over to be Christ’s own forever.  And in that simple act, if we can really do it, we too will be free.

For subscription information visit http://us.magnificat.net/home.