Is God With Us?
As you know, clergy are full of random facts. One of which is that on the Feast of Pentecost, this Sunday, the readings from the gospel are always from the Gospel of John. Now, we don't usually preach the gospel as we hear about the Pentecost moment in Acts, so we tend to preach on the apostles in the upper room, many languages and tongues of flame. Yet, the Gospel of John has an important message for us.
Only in John does Jesus use the word "Paraclete" for the Holy Spirit, which literally means "the one called to be alongside you." The Holy Spirit comes along side us in our time of need, like an EMT for our spiritual life. Jesus tells the disciples the Paraclete will be with them, and with us, in their difficult days ahead, as Jesus is crucified, and resurrected, and then ascends to heaven and the disciples feel abandoned again. In this gospel, Jesus assures the disciples again and again that God has not abandoned them. God will be, God IS, with us in our times of need.
Another random fact that clergy hold, perhaps far more important, is that God doesn't cause bad things to happen to test anyone. It is not God's will that bad things happen to anyone. It IS God's will that God will be with us in our sorrow, grief, loneliness, fear. In fact the Holy Spirit is our "comforter, aide, intercessor, companion, witness, guide, teacher"* when we need God with us the most. We may feel God's presence in a breeze, watching the waves, the hug of a friend, a kind gesture by a stranger. Jesus' promise to us is that without a doubt, no matter what, God is with us.
See you Sunday. Don't forget to wear red!
Rev. Rachel+
