14 May 2023: Sixth Sunday of Easter A

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17	Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20	1 Pt 3:15-18	Jn 14:15-21
RCL: Acts 17:22-32		RCL: 1 Pt 3:13-22

Eastertime: the Spirit, another advocate, the paraclete

In the Easter season, Jesus reveals himself in the upper room, appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; teaches about true shepherding and the way to the Father, promises a perpetual paraclete, and prays for those who are in the world. This week’s readings focus on the Spirit’s works within disciples and the believing community

First reading (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17)

Throughout the Easter season, the first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles, written by the same author as Luke’s gospel in the late 80s. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and of Paul.

In today’s pericope, Luke begins to chart the expansion of the ekklesia from “Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth” (Ac 1:8). Philip (one of the seven commissioned in last week’s reading) begins his mission beyond Judea, going to the city of Samaria. Luke twice describes Philip’s mission as εὐαγγελίζω/euangelízō, a Greek verb that means “to announce good news” (the English word “evangelize”). Luke describes Philip’s work using the same words and actions as Jesus (“the signs he was doing,” “unclean spirits came out of many,” “many were cured“). Wherever Philip preaches God’s kingdom, the people experience “great joy.” Hearing of Philip’s success in Samaria, the Jerusalem ekklesia sends two of the Twelve, Peter and John, to affirm Philip’s work. When these apostolic leaders pray over the Samaritans, the Spirit “falls on” the newly baptized. The Spirit’s visible manifestation confers divine approval on the apostles’ mission beyond Jerusalem and Judea.

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show God’s kingdom growing to include gentiles.

Second reading (1 Pt 3:15-18)

The second reading is the fifth part of a six-week, semi-continuous reading from the first letter of Peter. An unknown author wrote this letter in Rome at the end of the first century, and sent it to gentile Christians in the eastern provinces. The author seeks to strengthen his hearers’ faith, reminding them of the hope that comes from Jesus’ transformative death and resurrection.

In today’s pericope, the author exhorts believers to have confidence (“sanctify Christ as Lord”) in their suffering. Believers are not facing state-sponsored persecution; instead, they face ridicule and social rejection from family and fellow citizens who cannot understand their new way of living and changed values. The author tells believers to “always be ready to give an explanation” for their hope in Christ and his resurrection. They must give witness with “gentleness and respect (“reverence”)” to those who “malign” them. (Good advice in any tense confrontation.) Although innocent, Christ also suffered. His “suffering,” at the hands of sinners (“the unrighteous”), brought salvation (“lead you to God”). His human death (“in the flesh”) was not final; God overrode human death by raising Jesus (“bringing him to life in the Spirit“).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading for its Easter season themes of hope and of resurrection.

Gospel (Jn 14:15-21)

John’s gospel is a continuation of last week’s Last Supper farewell discourse. The author uses a circular (or spiral) form to introduce and to link several ideas: love, commands, the Father, another advocate, truth, knowing, seeing, and remaining.

• Jesus’ commandments: to believe and to love. Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus gives two commands to disciples: first, to believe that Jesus is the one sent by the Father, and second, to love one another. Jesus promises two gifts to those who love and believe: The first gift is that the Father will send another advocate after Jesus departs from the world and returns to the Father. This advocate will remain with the disciples forever. The second gift is that Jesus will extend his mutual indwelling with the Father to the ones who believe and love. Jesus’ and the Father’s mutual indwelling now includes Jesus’ disciples.
• Another advocate. The Greek word παράκλητος/paráklētos literally means “someone called to another’s side” to advocate for, intercede for, and support that person. Jesus was the first advocate or paraclete, sent by the Father to reveal God to the world. This second paraclete is not in human form and does not offer herself in a transformative death, but instead remains forever as the Spirit who communicates the truth. For Jesus’ disciples, the Spirit is the ongoing presence (“remains with you,” “be in you”) of the revelation of God in the world.
• Mutual indwelling. Although Jesus returns to the Father, disciples will continue to “see” and “know” him because they keep his commandments (believe and love). Their mutual love allows them to “abide.” The Greek verb μένω/ménō means “to stay with,” “to abide,” or “to remain in relationship.” Remaining in a loving relationship with Jesus gives disciples eternal life (“I live and you will live”), and invites the Father and the paraclete-Spirit into a shared life of mutual abiding or indwelling. In this way, Jesus and the paraclete-Spirit continue to be the revelation of and revealers of the Father to the disciples and the world.

Summary and reflection

Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. Throughout the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. Acts shows the Spirit at work in the words and actions of Philip, Peter, and John to grow the believing community beyond Jerusalem. The author of 1 Peter challenges believers to live their hope and to explain their beliefs to nonbelievers with respect and patience. John’s Jesus teaches how a disciple’s belief and love will bring the paraclete-Spirit and create an eternal indwelling with Jesus, the Father, the Spirit, and the disciple.

Easter begins with an empty tomb and ends with Jesus’ return to the Father, but we are not left alone. In the gift of the paraclete-Spirit and the gift of mutual indwelling, Jesus remains present. Do we see Jesus present in the words and actions of the believing community? Do we hear Jesus present in patient and pastoral responses to those who object to his message? Do we find Jesus present in our own lived-out works, in our public words, and in our personal prayer lives?

—Terence Sherlock