By Francesca Santelli
As we approach Pentecost, Jesus prepares his apostles for the Holy Spirit, through which the Church will be built and the nations converted. Jesus speaks of the Advocate, the “Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept.” What is the Holy Spirit, and why did the world refuse to accept him? Jesus is showing the apostles that he is here to stay and he shall come to each and every one of us. He will not abandon us, ever. In this Gospel, Jesus wants us to open our eyes to see that he rests in us. He also wants us to fully rest within him.
He shows it is a mutual exchange. If you are willing to keep his commandments and pursue a life that involves Jesus, he is right there. When I was reflecting on this, I thought about that idea a lot. Jesus is not far away. He is not someone that is out of our vision or reach. We are the ones who distance ourselves from him every time we fall into sin or feel too ashamed to involve him in our daily lives. This Gospel really makes you sit and think about how we have a gracious, loving God. He not only loves us for just existing, but also wants to be involved in our every action. He gives us so many ways to receive grace and mercy, and of course the ultimate gift of receiving him in the Eucharist every time we have the gift of going to Mass.
“Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me, and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him” (John 14:21). This line is both beautiful yet very overwhelming. You can read and interpret this in many different ways, but right now, especially during this time, I feel that it is calling me to love more fully and let God to work in my life. That is all he truly desires, and I cannot say it enough. He desires to know you, and he is willing to give it all to YOU.
