Acts 8:5-8,14-17; 1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
After Stephen, of whom it is said he was filled with the Holy Spirit, was stoned to death for his belief, the new Christian believers were persecuted in Jerusalem. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
The apostle Philip goes to a town in Samaria. The name of the town is not named, but it is in an area between Judea and Galilee, an area that was not Jewish. Even here, the people are aware of Jesus Christ. The stories of miracles are spreading. The people either know about miracles in Jesus’ name by hearsay or by their own experience.
The Christians in Samaria are not persecuted, and the preachers seem to be safe. Philip spreads the Good News and is able to heal and baptise the people. Once Peter and John hear that Philip’s mission is bearing fruit, they come to support him and pray for the Holy Spirit to fill the people of Samaria.
In the first Letter of Peter, Peter refers to reverencing Christ in one’s heart. Filled with the Holy Spirit there is no doubt about having hope. He recommends living the faith in Jesus genuinely and respectfully. The Holy Spirit will help Christ’s followers to always answer queries truthfully. While there might be people challenging them, they need to stay steadfast – even if this means that they might have to suffer for their belief. Christ has given the ultimate sacrifice, and he was raised to life in the Spirit.
In the Gospel according to John the predictions of the betrayal and then the denial of Peter are followed by Jesus announcing his departure. The disciples seem to be confused. First, they can’t imagine that they would betray Jesus, then they are told that Jesus was leaving them and that they would not be able to go with him. They had felt so close to Jesus that they believed that they would always stay together.
In this situation, Jesus gives them a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This love between one another and for Jesus is a commandment that is hard to measure from the outside. It is a spiritual commandment that can only be judged by God.
While the Ten Commandments that Moses received from God are often compared to guiding rules of how to behave towards God and within a community, the New Commandment is an overarching virtue and the driving force for our behaviour.
The Holy Spirit is the thread through these Scriptures. Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit as an advocate to stay with the disciples.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, the ad-vocate, the voice that is with us and speaks for us, we will be able to speak truthfully. While Jesus announces that he would leave us for a while, he is not abandoning us. The Holy Spirit will stay with us.
We don’t know for how long Jesus would be away, but thanks to the Holy Spirit and the love between us, Jesus and God the Father we won’t be on our own.
As long as we keep Jesus’ Commandment of loving one another and loving God, we will also keep God’s Commandments given to Moses – and Jesus will stay in us and with us. We are connected with him through our love and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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