Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Youth Chaplain & Associate Vicar
Chicago Mar Thoma Church
."...the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. "
One day a tribal found the egg of an eagle in the forest. He took the egg home and hatched it along with the other chicken eggs. The eaglet started growing up with the other chicks. It started eating mud, pecking and hopping here and there like the other chicks. But it never learned to fly like the eagle.
One day, as it was foraging for food from the ground, it saw an eagle majestically soaring high in the sky. As the eaglet was admiring the grandeur of this soaring eagle, the other chicks came and said to this eaglet, “Look, that is the eagle –the king of the birds. You and I are chickens. We cannot fly like that eagle.”
We are like that eaglet helplessly admiring the power in others when we ourselves possess that power. Often, we land up in defeat, frustration and failure because we are ignorant of the powers God has given us. We can do marvelous things when we associate ourselves with God. St. Paul very confidently said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).”
In St. John 14, Jesus says "I shall ask the father and he shall give you another advocate". The disciples were heartbroken that Jesus was going away from them. They were troubled as to how they would face life in the absence of Jesus. It is then that Jesus assured them that he would ask the Father to send the advocate - the Holy spirit on them to be with them forever. Jesus promised the coming of the counselor who is another comforter to be with the faith community forever.
Being Faithful in Love and obedience:
Jesus says, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The commandments refer to Jesus life and teachings. Faithfulness and total allegiance to Jesus and his teachings is a mark of true discipleship. Keeping the commandment is the ultimate expression of one’s love towards Jesus. The disciples’ abiding in the Father's love is the result of their love towards Christ. This mutual love between the disciples, Jesus and the Father defines the future course of action. The intense relationship and mutual abiding is clearly expressed when Jesus says, 'I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you’ (v. 20). This mutual indwelling is the mark of Christian discipleship. The relationship with Christ is the criterion for understanding their relationship with God.
Holy Spirit: Presence of Christ in Continuum
The sending of the Comforter is a response to the Son's request. He is the mediator between the Father and human beings. His love for his disciples is the manifestation of the Father's love for the world (3:16,5:19). Jesus on earth promises the sending of another Paraclete, who is to remain forever with the disciple. This means that up to this time he himself was their Paraclete (Counsellor), their companion and protector. The Comforter will come to dwell with them. He will continue the work which began with Christ. (v. 26). Since Jesus is the way, the life and the truth, the Spirit of truth shares the work of Jesus. And it enables us to witness his resurrection.
One day a tribal found the egg of an eagle in the forest. He took the egg home and hatched it along with the other chicken eggs. The eaglet started growing up with the other chicks. It started eating mud, pecking and hopping here and there like the other chicks. But it never learned to fly like the eagle.
One day, as it was foraging for food from the ground, it saw an eagle majestically soaring high in the sky. As the eaglet was admiring the grandeur of this soaring eagle, the other chicks came and said to this eaglet, “Look, that is the eagle –the king of the birds. You and I are chickens. We cannot fly like that eagle.”
We are like that eaglet helplessly admiring the power in others when we ourselves possess that power. Often, we land up in defeat, frustration and failure because we are ignorant of the powers God has given us. We can do marvelous things when we associate ourselves with God. St. Paul very confidently said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).”
In St. John 14, Jesus says "I shall ask the father and he shall give you another advocate". The disciples were heartbroken that Jesus was going away from them. They were troubled as to how they would face life in the absence of Jesus. It is then that Jesus assured them that he would ask the Father to send the advocate - the Holy spirit on them to be with them forever. Jesus promised the coming of the counselor who is another comforter to be with the faith community forever.
Being Faithful in Love and obedience:
Jesus says, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The commandments refer to Jesus life and teachings. Faithfulness and total allegiance to Jesus and his teachings is a mark of true discipleship. Keeping the commandment is the ultimate expression of one’s love towards Jesus. The disciples’ abiding in the Father's love is the result of their love towards Christ. This mutual love between the disciples, Jesus and the Father defines the future course of action. The intense relationship and mutual abiding is clearly expressed when Jesus says, 'I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you’ (v. 20). This mutual indwelling is the mark of Christian discipleship. The relationship with Christ is the criterion for understanding their relationship with God.
Holy Spirit: Presence of Christ in Continuum
The sending of the Comforter is a response to the Son's request. He is the mediator between the Father and human beings. His love for his disciples is the manifestation of the Father's love for the world (3:16,5:19). Jesus on earth promises the sending of another Paraclete, who is to remain forever with the disciple. This means that up to this time he himself was their Paraclete (Counsellor), their companion and protector. The Comforter will come to dwell with them. He will continue the work which began with Christ. (v. 26). Since Jesus is the way, the life and the truth, the Spirit of truth shares the work of Jesus. And it enables us to witness his resurrection.
PRAYER
"Come Holy Spirit,
Fill the hearts of the faithful
And renew the face of the earth"Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
" Do not let your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also
in me" John 14:1