Building the fire, Advocate

James Cathcart May 09, 2024 1 0

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John 16: 1-11 (NRSVA)

1 ‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4 But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

In a world that often speaks in hopelessness, short term gain and selfishness the Holy Spirit advocates for hope, deep roots, and compassion; challenging conventional wisdom on sin, righteousness, and judgement.

What do we want to prove the world wrong about?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit,

Help us prove the world wrong about hopelessness, by sparking so much hope that it falls like May blossom, cluttering the street.

May those who try and sweep the hope away, give up and sit down,

lost in the beauty of it.

Help us prove the world wrong about self-interest and greed, by blazing so many acts of generosity that they fall indiscriminately like overladen branches dropping fruit where they will.

May those who try to hoover it up and hoard it, give it up for too much work,

deciding that sharing is easier.

Help us prove the world wrong about short term gain, by stoking the embers of long term tender care, rewilding all our plans.

May those who would flatten and scatter and tear and scorn —

warm themselves instead by the steady fire of well tended embers,

and dream of home.

Amen.