Our Advocate of Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter A (Filipino Mass)
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Psalm: 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
April 27, 2008

Holy Spirit: Our Advocate of Love

Story
One time there was a Pinoy attorney who went on vacation in a small farming town during the long-weekend. While walking through the streets and enjoying the beautiful countryside scenery, he noticed that a car was involved in an accident. As expected, a large crowd gathered (mga usisero).

“A propect client” the attorney said to himself. The Pinoy attorney was excited and eager to get to the injured, but he couldn't get near the car. Being a rather clever person, he started shouting loudly, "Let me through! Let me through! I am the son of the victim. Let me through. "

The crowd made way for him. Lying in front of the car was a donkey.

Advocate of the Apostles
In today’s Gospel the Lord promises his disciples that he will send them an Advocate to be with them always. Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit, the Second Person of the Trinity, as an Advocate, it means counselor, protector. The Holy Spirit is like an attorney (but a much clever one compared to the lawyer from the story) who will pleads for our case, to stand by us and defend us in time of need (without fee!)

In Greek, Holy Spirit is translated as “parakletos” which means a lawyer or a witness who will testify in your behalf. It also refers to a person who gives comfort, counsel or strength that we always of need. [I’m not sure if the word “parak” in Tagalog comes from “parakletos”? Parak is pulis tagapaglitas. Of course not! :) ]

Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit as he prepares his disciples for the day when He will no longer be with them physically. It is through the Holy Spirit, their advocate, that they come to have a deeper or mature understanding of the teaching of Jesus, his mission, his miracles, and the purpose of his Birth, Death and Resurrection.

Our Advocate Too!
Inasmuch as the Holy Spirit is the apostle’s Advocate, the Holy Spirit is also our Advocate! It is through the Holy Spirit that we can feel Jesus’ loving presence in the Church, in the sacraments, in our community, his loving presence in each and one of us even we can not see him physically (Look the person next to you. Can you feel the presence of Jesus to the person next to you? If not, pray more for the Holy Spirit.). The Holy Spirit comes to us for the first time in the sacrament of baptism. The Holy Spirit’s in us is perfected and strengthened on the day of our confirmation, when the Bishop said to us, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is why confirmation is called the sacrament of our maturity in faith.

Commandment to Love
Before our Lord promised his disciples that He will send the Advocate, he first spoke one of his final words, his final reminder was (o huling habilin) – If you love me, you will keep my commandments. We need to ponder his words deeply in our hearts. And we know that his commandments are: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength. Love one another as I have loved you.

Let us ask ourselves… What makes us sure that we really love Jesus and our neighbour? What makes us sure that we obey his commandment of love?

To Jesus real love is something difficult and it must be expressed not as sentiment or emotion but as real obedience to God. The word ‘obedience’ means ‘to listen carefully’. The more obedient we are to Christ's commandments, the more we are listening to the Holy Spirit’s call in our lives

Checking Spiritual condition
I read in a book 3 practical questions we should ask ourselves to check our spiritual condition if we really love God both in words and deeds:

First question: Are you yapping?
Yapping means “to bark, to yelp, to talking noisily”. We yap when we always criticize people, when we always find fault to others. A yapping person discourages, hurts and destroys people rather than seek to be helpful.

Second question: Are you yawning?
Some people go to church as if sleeping, they hear nothing, see nothing, and do nothing. (I must admit I was guilty of this when I was young). St Paul says, “we must be alive unto God – revive our hope, increase our love, and work our faith” (Rom 13:11-12).

Third question: Are you yearning?
Are you yearning or seeking for material pleasures, excessive wealth (40Million jackpot?) rather than yearning to fill your spiritual emptiness that Christ alone can satisfy? When we consecrate ourselves to love God, we only yearn for a more effective, meaningful and holy life, and for the Holy Spirit to fill us with divine love.

Conclusion
If your answer is to these questions is three big yes that means we need to be more open to the Holy Spirit, our Advocate. We all have our personal faults, imperfections, wrong decisions, sinfulness, lust, etc., that prevent to obey faithful God’s commandment of love, but the Holy Spirit will help us grow towards maturity and wholeness.

St Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians that the Holy Spirit is already in us as, he writes, “Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? Each of us are sacred, we are temple of God.”

We just need to allow ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help us see the truth and beauty of ourselves. Like the good Advocate the Holy Spirit will enable us to become stronger, will aid us and guide when we face difficult and painful situation, and will help to love truly.

I invite you to bow your heads and pray with me:

Come Holy Spirit, renew me with your gifts.
My life will be more joyful and fulfilling with you action in me.
Heal my brokenness, pour down your wisdom.
Instill your peace within me, inspire my every need.

Amen.