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6^th Sunday of Easter – Year A

甲年-复活期第6主日

Fr. Jijo Kandamkulathy CMF

甘天霖神父

Gospel: John 14:15-21 (若14：15-21)

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John,

Glory to you, O Lord!

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another. "If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily: Without the Spirit, the Gospel is but a Doctrine

The disciples understood that Jesus was leaving them. They were sad and they asked themselves how they could continue to be united after he is gone.

Jesus promised not to leave them alone without protection and guidance. He said that he would pray to the Father, and he would “send the other Paraclete” who will always be with them. Jesus clarifies that the Spirit could be received only by those who are in accord with him, with his plans and his works of love. The world cannot receive it.

What is this world to which the Spirit is not destined? Are they the pagans, those far away who do not belong to the group of disciples, or the members of other religions? The world as Jesus intends is not the persons but those parts in the heart of the person—of each person—wherein darkness, sin, and death reign. That is where worldliness is present with its spirit, contrary to that of Christ’s. Paul reminds the Corinthians of it as they allowed themselves to be guided by human wisdom.

The Spirit is called the Comforter (one who is called to be beside). In ancient times, there was no establishment of lawyers; each defendant had to defend themselves, bringing witnesses to exonerate themselves. It happened sometimes that someone, though not guilty, was unable to prove one’s innocence, or that despite having committed the crime, deserved forgiveness. For them, there remained one last hope: that in the midst of the assembly there would be a person honored by all for their moral integrity. That blameless person, without uttering any word, would get up and go to place oneself at the side of the accused. This gesture is equivalent to an acquittal. No one would have dared to ask for more condemnation. This “defender” is called the “Paraclete,” that is, “one who is called to the side of another who finds oneself in trouble.” The meaning of this title is, therefore, protector, helper, defender.

Jesus promises his disciples another Paraclete since they already have one—he himself as John explains in his first letter, “My little children, I write you these things so that you may not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have a Paraclete by the Father’s side: the righteous Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 2:1).

And Jesus is the Paraclete inasmuch as our Advocate to the Father not because he defends us from his wrath, provoked by our sins (the Father is always on our side, as Jesus). He protects us against our accuser, our opponent—sin. The enemy is sin, and Jesus knows how to refute and reduce it to impotence. John reminds the Christians of his community this truth, so that in the midst of the difficulties of life, spiritual miseries, frailties, and many evil inclinations, they won’t be discouraged, despaired, or lose the serenity of heart.

The duty of Christians is to remain open to the impulse of the Spirit who always reveals new things and increases joy and peace, that help people to pray better and free the heart from useless fears.

证道：向圣神开放心灵，做自由的基督徒！

门徒们明白，耶稣要离开他们了。他们感到悲伤，并自问怎样在耶稣离去后继续与祂相连。耶稣许诺不会独自留下他们，也不会没有保护和指引。祂说，自己会向父祈祷，也会“派遣另一位护慰者”，一直与他们在一起。耶稣阐明，只有那些与祂，祂的计划，以及爱的事业保持一致的人才能接受圣神。这个世界不能接受这一切。

圣神不会前往的是一个什么样的世界呢？是那些远远地不属于宗徒团体的异教徒，或是其他宗教人士呢？耶稣所说的世界指向的不是何种人，而是每个人心灵的那一部分——黑暗，罪恶和死亡的统治。那就是以其精神反对基督精神的世俗心。保禄提醒格林多的教友团体，因为他们允许自己被人的智慧所指引。

“圣神”被称为“安慰者”/“护慰者”，就是被召唤在身边者。在古时，没有律师事务所；每个被告都必须为自己辩护，请证人为自己开脱。有时候，有些人虽然无罪，却无法证明自己的清白，或者尽管犯了罪，却得到了原谅。他/她来说，还留有最后的希望：在集会中会有一个人因其道德操守而受到所有人的尊敬。那个无可指责的人，一句话也不说，就站起来，站到被告的身边。这个举动相当于无罪释放。没有人敢要求更多的谴责。这种“保护者”被称为“护慰者”，就是“某人被召唤到另一个发现自己处于困境的人身边”。因此，这称呼的意思还有“保护者”，“帮助者”，“辩护者”。

耶稣许诺给自己的门徒另一位护慰者，因为他们已经有了一位，就是耶稣自己，正如圣若望在第一封书信中所解释的：“我的孩子们，我给你们写这些事，是为叫你们不犯罪；但是，谁若犯了罪，我们在父那里有正义的耶稣基督作护慰者。”

耶稣做我们在父面前的护慰者，不是因祂保护我们脱离祂因我们的罪所发的忿怒（父与耶稣一样，一直站在我们这一边）。祂保护我们，反对我们的控告者和反对者——罪。这敌人就是罪，并且耶稣知道如何驳斥祂，把它削弱的无能为力。若望提醒祂团体中的基督徒这项真理，因此，在生命的困难时期中，即使有灵性的痛苦，弱点和许多邪恶的倾向，他们也不会气馁，不会绝望，也不会失去内心的平静。

基督徒的职责是向圣神的推动保持开放。因为圣神总是启示新事物，并增进喜乐和平安，帮助人更好地祈祷，以及把心灵从无益的忧惧中解救，获得自由。

                                                                                                                                       ——文稿来源：雅颂福传