The Spirit of Truth Reflections on the Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

If you haven’t already read the readings you can find them here.

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Psalm 66
1 Peter 3:15-18
John 14:15-21

As we near the end of Eastertide we get more indications of the work of the Holy Spirit whose coming on Pentecost firmly establishes the Church. Pentecost is only two weeks away. Today we will hear Jesus tell the apostles that after He has returned to the father he will send another Advocate (in His stead) who will be with them always, the Holy Spirit. After this, through the laying on of hands, they will be able to pass the Spirit on to others.

In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles we get an episode dealing with someone other than Peter and Paul. In this case Philip has gone to Samaria to spread the good news and is well received. He performed many signs and cast out many demons and “There was great joy in that city.” This is most likely Philip the deacon as in Acts 8:1 we read that the apostles remained in Jerusalem.

This was of such significance that Peter and John went down as well to lay hands on the people that they would receive the Holy Spirit. The laying on of hands is the principle way that the Holy Spirit is transmitted. When we are confirmed the bishop or his representative lays hands on the confirmand and, in Holy Orders, each step is accompanied by the laying on of hands.

There is a key event that is omitted from today’s selection, that of the interaction with Simon the magician. When Simon witnessed the power of the apostles and the Holy Spirit he proposed to pay the apostles for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which we know is something that cannot be bought, but requires faith. Peter rejects him saying, ““May your money perish with you, because you thought that you could buy the gift of God with money.” While an important lesson, it was probably left out because it did not directly relate to transmission of the Spirit to true believers.

What impressed Simon were the deeds the apostles were performing, obviously better than his “magic.” The responsorial psalm relates to this as it extols the deeds of the Lord: “Say to God, ‘How tremendous are your deeds!’” This is an example of our first duty in prayer, to give praise to God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) delineates five forms (or purposes) of prayer: blessing and adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise, all of which are included in some way in the Mass (CCC 2626-2643.)

The selection from the first letter of St. Peter has two key lessons in it. First, Peter tells us, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” Basically he is telling us that we need to have knowledge of our faith sufficient to explain it and our reasoning behind it to others who ask. This is the basis of catechesis which, unfortunately, languished in the latter half of the last century and even into this century. How well do you know your faith? Do you have a Catechism of the Catholic Church in your home and do you refer to it on a regular basis, to confirm or enlighten your own understanding of the faith?

I had gone through the sacraments (and taught by nuns) through Confirmation, but it wasn’t until 20+ years later reading a book that the Catholic lay leader on my ship gave me, that I began to understand what I had been “taught.” How many of us today are in the same position but do not realize the importance of learning our faith better. Bishop Sheen once said, “There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” Unfortunately, this includes many who call themselves Catholic. While many non-Catholics have little understanding of Catholicism and accuse the Church of things that aren’t true, too many Catholics don’t have the understanding to know the truth much less defend it.

Peter’s second lesson is that it is better to do good and suffer for it rather than do evil to avoid suffering. The innocent often suffer. Look at Jesus. “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.” It may not sound pleasant, but the saints welcomed suffering as a gift. Read Saint Faustina’s diary for example.

The gospel reading also gets to the issue of knowing our faith. And there’s good news about this. Jesus tells us that He is sending us “another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him.” Notice His comment that the world cannot accept the truth. We see this every day, especially in the mainstream news media and on social media. Consider the lie that abortion is healthcare. But we have the truth, the fullness of revelation in the Catholic Church.

And Jesus’ guidance is simple (although not always easy due to our concupiscence), “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.” In this way we will be brought to the Father in heaven.

In a few short weeks we will celebrate the feast of Pentecost where the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, demonstrably came down on the apostles and set the stage for all who believe in Jesus to come to them as well. This is the fulfillment of Jesus’ statement in today’s gospel, “I will not leave you orphans ...” Similarly, Jesus also told us in the gospel of Matthew, “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

And where do we find the Holy Spirit today? In the Church and, more specifically, in the Magisterium. The Magisterium is the teaching office of the Church and represents the learning, research, insights, and conciliar outcomes as guided by the Holy Spirit over two thousand years. From the Catechism, “The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.” (CCC 100) Guided by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised in today’s gospel reading, “The Church's Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.” (CCC 88)

Church teaching is like a three-legged stool, Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium. Take away any leg of the stool and it falls. The collected knowledge and experience of the Church in this regard can be found in summary form in the Catechism. Familiarize yourself with it so you can be bold, stand firm, and be Catholic.