First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday (Year C), June 3, 2007
BCP: Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29 or Canticle 2 or 13; Rev. 4:1-11; John 16:(5-11) 12-15
RCL: Prov. 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8 or Canticle 2 or 13; Rom. 5:1-5; John 16:12-1
In his Last Supper discourse, John unlocks the mystery of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of love that is with us always. In today’s reading Jesus speaks not only to his disciples but also to all who wait for the coming of the Advocate through the ages. When he tells the disciples, “I have much more to say to you,” Jesus does not simply mean spoken words or information about their mission, but something deeper and richer about the life of God in their midst. For Jesus has one thing and one thing only to reveal: love itself, the love he shares with Father and Spirit, the love which is, more precisely, his relationship with God, his Father.
The Spirit of truth is the One to lead us to the complete truth. This truth is not theological truth or truth about life in the world. Rather, the truth is the truth of God as enduring presence, the awe-inspiring mystery of God who is infinitely far away and infinitely close to us at the same time. This truth is wisdom, the truth of our deepest selves both hidden within us and hidden from us by our own self-will, by our own egoselves, the very opposite of the Spirit of God. Only in the Spirit will all things, all that belongs to Jesus the Son, be revealed by the Father.
John uses the word “truth” more than 20 times. Still our text for today shows John was sensitive to the deep subtleties and ambiguities of truth bearing. He understood very well the power of truth to hurt as well as heal, to oppress as well as liberate.
As the Father has glorified Jesus, so the Spirit continues to glorify Jesus by making the glory of God visible in Christ’s body. The glory of God continues in the Church, the community of Jesus united of the risen Christ. Christ remains with his Church as Spirit, as the Church’s one foundation that transcends the ravaging disunity of history and the selfrighteousness of human hearts.
As Jesus prays for the Father to glorify him, so too his disciples, his body, must pray for the same glorification. Yet, there can be no glory without suffering, no joy without sorrow, no resurrection without cross.
No wonder Jesus knew it was too much for the disciples then. No wonder
without the Advocate present in our souls and in our churches, could we begin to accept the “complete truth” that is God among us.
Look It Up
The hymn, “I Bind Unto Myself Today,” (370, Hymnal 1982) reminds us of our ever-present Lord with, within, behind, before, and beside us.
Think About It
In today’s classic farewell address, Jesus is saying goodbye to his disciples. How have we handled the goodbyes of life? What does it mean to say goodbye well?
Next Sunday
The Second Sunday After Pentecost (Year C), June 10, 2007
BCP: 1 Kings 17:17-24; Psalm 30 or 30:1-6, 12-13; Gal. 1:11-4; Luke 7:11-17
RCL: 1 Kings 17:8-16, (17-24) or 1 Kings 17:17-24; Psalm 146 or Psalm 30; Gal. 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17
