Reflection by The Venerable Dr Deborah Broome

The ongoing presence of God

[Jesus said] “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.  I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

The disciples are sitting with Jesus listening to his farewell words in what we’ve come to know as the Last Supper.  They’re feeling confused and uncertain, and Jesus reassures them – not by analysing their difficult situation, but by inviting them to place their confidence in the ongoing presence of God.  There’s a connection between love and obedience: love expresses itself not by a sentimental nostalgia about “how wonderful things were when Jesus was with us” but by keeping Jesus’ words, especially his words about loving and serving one another, washing feet.

Jesus responds to their troubled hearts by his promise of the divine presence with those who love him and obey his word: the Holy Spirit will come to be God’s continuing presence, offering guidance and strength.  (Notice how in the lead-up to Pentecost – this year on 24 May – our readings include references to the imminent coming of the Holy Spirit.)   After he goes to the Father, Jesus will remain close to the disciples through the presence of the Holy Spirit, here given the description of “Advocate,” someone called alongside to help.  Sometimes this word is rendered “Comforter” – but that can lead to confusion: the root of the word is about “being strong with” – so that if we’re looking for a tactile image it’s less a “snuggly blanket” and more “a back brace,” something that helps us live through difficult situations with confidence and strength.

The disciples are reminded that they’re called to be different from the world around them (it’s a major theme in this Gospel).  The world doesn’t see or recognise the divine presence, but the disciples do: they are sustained and strengthened by a reality that the world can’t discern.   That applies to us also.  We are called to an ongoing awareness of God’s presence with us.  How can we help each other grow in such an awareness?  And what’s the connection between our awareness of God’s presence, our love for Jesus, and our obedience to his words?

 Image credit: Alexander Grey, Unsplash