In four days we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus. As preparation to it we are gathered together for the Sunday liturgy. The gospel reading today is a passage from Jesus’ farewell discourse in the Gospel. Jesus delivered his farewell speech immediately after the Last Supper and shortly before his suffering and death. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we do not read Jesus’ farewell discourse, but only an account of the Last Supper.
In the Gospel of John, we do not read an account of the Last Supper. In that place we read the account of the washing of the feet and the farewell discourse after the supper. Since the Evangelist John was the last one to write his Gospel, 60 years after Jesus’ death, he wanted to write about the themes that the Synoptics had neglected and that had become by the time more important to Christians.
Jesus’ farewell speech attempts to present Jesus’ overall message and provide instructions that were important for Christians to live together in harmony and peace.
Jesus speaks about the necessity of faithfulness and love to him, to his Father in heaven, and about the need to love among the Christians. He speaks about the importance of peace and human coexistence in the society. He promises the support and strength of the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends in Jesus’ name, in order that the followers of Christ remain in love and peace.
These words of Jesus inspire us, it gives courage and hope. Jesus gave this message shortly before his death. These words of Jesus were also well-suited for the time between his resurrection and ascension, because his disciples were uncertain and desperate due to the fear of the Jews. When we hear this message of Jesus with instructions and promises shortly before the Feast of the Ascension, we can think that this message of love and faithfulness is also well-suited for our time, and that we too need courage, hope, and need to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
There were many problems among the disciples and followers of Jesus after the death of Jesus. They felt insecurity. There existed fear among Christ’s disciples, both during the time of Jesus and after his death and resurrection. After Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the problems were not lessened although Jesus had promised that he would always be among his disciples whenever they gathered in the name of Jesus. In fact, the problems increased due to persecutions and differences of opinion among Christians, which arose in various forms of heresy in the early centuries.
However, the persecutions from outside and disputes over matters of faith from within did not cause the Church to perish; rather, it grew in peace and love, through the power of the Holy Spirit and through the experience of Jesus in word and sacrament. The problems today are different, but just as intense as in those times, and disputes and conflicts are clearly noticeable, whether over certain popular movements or statements by dignitaries. This makes it clear that there have always been and always will be disagreements, problems, disputes and external influences from certain groups in the Church.
Yet the experiences of recent centuries also show us that the Church has always overcome its problems and conflicts and grown in love and peace. From time to time, however, there has also been a transformation within the Church, with new themes, new developments, and new perspectives, new visions etc. We hope, pray, and aspire that through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Church will be renewed and transformed with new, well-founded impulses, ideas, and perspectives, so that the Kingdom of God will come, which can bring all people into His love and peace.
It is a wish and also a task for us Christians that the world, with its diverse cultures and traditions, will be renewed and transformed through the love and peace of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. We can contribute to this with mutual respect, tolerance, charity, with realistic perspectives and a corresponding openness and peaceful coexistence with people of all cultures, traditions, faith experiences, and world views just as the Church of Jesus itself truly is.
Fr Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS