Scripture Reflection, May 9: So Much to Figure Out

Scripture Readings:
Acts of the Apostles 15: 1-2, 22-29
Psalm 67
Revelation 21: 10-14, 22-23
John 14: 23-29

None of us wants to be left alone when we are facing difficult moments in our lives. Even those who like to think of themselves as the most independent desire the companionship and guidance of others when they are making important decisions or facing moments of profound loss. The disciples of Jesus must have wondered if they would be left alone as they listened to the Lord speak about his departure from them: “You have heard me tell you, ‘I am going away. . .’” What would happen to them? How would they continue the mission in which Jesus had given them a share? In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus speaks about his “going to the Father,” but he also senses the trepidation of his disciples. He assures them that they will not be left alone. He promises them the gift of the Holy Spirit who will continue to make his presence known to them and will teach and lead them. It is his abiding presence with them through the Holy Spirit that will be the source of their peace.

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about a moment in the life of the early Church when Jesus’ disciples stood in desperate need of the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is a moment of real crisis. The mission of the Church has begun to extend beyond the Jewish world to Gentiles through the preaching of Paul, Barnabas and others. And the response to the proclamation of the gospel by the Gentiles has been encouraging. But now some Christians from Jerusalem are insisting that in order for Gentile believers to experience salvation in Jesus, they must be circumcised. In other words, they must become fully Jewish in order to be truly Christian.

All of this probably sounds pretty strange to us today. But we need to remember that for many Jewish people the rite of circumcision was something sacred, a practice for which devout Jews had given their lives in situations of foreign oppression. The Church must come to a decision about something of utmost importance: what must one do to experience God’s saving grace in Jesus? And so there is a meeting in Jerusalem between the leaders of the various Christian communities (traditionally known as the Council of Jerusalem). Gathered together in dialogue, they seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they listen to the experience of those who have preached to the Gentiles. As they listen and dialogue with one another, they are discerning how the Spirit is leading the Church. The result is a kind of compromise: Gentile believers are asked to observe certain regulations that “resident aliens” among the people of Israel were required to keep in the Hebrew Scriptures, but circumcision is not required. Gentile Christians do not have to become fully Jewish in order to be Christian.

While all of this may seem a bit foreign to us today, the Church still faces a whole host of issues that call for the discernment of the Spirit. We are just as much in need today of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who makes the presence of Christ real and vibrant in our lives and communities. Not unlike the Christian community of the first century described in Acts, today’s Church is comprised of “traditionalists” and “progressives” who differ in their views about critical issues. We can learn something from the Church of the first century. When faced with their own crisis they came together for dialogue and sought to discern the Spirit together. They listened to the experience of Paul, Barnabas and others who were “in the field.” They recognized the movement of the Spirit among people of cultures that were different from that of the Jerusalem church. And they worked diligently to create a unity among Christians that was real and had practical implications, but which was not a rigid uniformity. As Catholic Christians we struggle with these same challenges today, and so we are invited to continue to discern the Spirit together in respectful dialogue.

As individuals, too, we need to invoke the presence and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In talking with young adults these days, it strikes me that they often feel that there is so much to figure out about their lives. The transition to a state of “settling down” in life is longer than it used to be, and young adults face a dizzying array of options from which to make choices about the direction of their lives. They often speak about feeling alone in that quest, without the supports that would help them in their decision-making. Sometimes all of us feel this way, whatever age we may be. As followers of Jesus, we need to remember that we are never left alone. The gift of the Spirit in our lives means that the risen Christ is always close to us, never nearer than when we face hard choices or painful moments. And all of us need to make good use of the means that the Spirit uses to guide us, like regular personal prayer, dialogue with trusted friends and mentors, spiritual direction, and moments of retreat. Discerning where the Spirit is leading us is often challenging, and we do not attain 100% certitude in that discernment. But we do believe that the Spirit of Christ dwells within us and works in often mysterious ways to lead us to the life to which God is calling us.

As we pray together this Sunday, may we listen closely to the words of Jesus about this gift of the Spirit: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” It is this presence of the Spirit within that enables us to find peace even in moments of difficult decision.

Fr. Robin Ryan, cp

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