Commentary on the Gospel of
"I will not leave you destitute "
For a Christian, knowing how to love is not something acquired once and for all; we have to start again every day, we have to train ourselves so that our love for the brothers and sisters we meet becomes mature and purified of those obscured limits that make it partial, selfish, sterile and unfaithful. Every day we have to learn the art of loving.
Today's Gospel text belongs to the farewell discourse. Jesus says goodbye to his disciples and makes them these promises: "I will not leave you alone"; "I will come back and you will see me"; in symbols we can say that he leaves them the Gospel, the commandment of love, his body. Promises that are all concentrated in the great gift of the sending of the Holy Spirit, who will be their defender, intercessor, helper, consoler. He becomes the presence of Christ, only more interiorised and spiritualised.
The words of Jesus: "I will not leave you helpless" (Jn 14,18), are extremely consoling and reveal an extraordinary, maternal and responsible love. He knows that they will suffer a lot, but whatever happens, he will always be with them, he will never abandon them, always experiencing a strength that will help them to get through any adversity. Because no one will take away the trust and hope that they have placed in Him. We, like the disciples, should never feel like orphans: We are always accompanied by the Spirit of truth, promised by Jesus to his disciples, who is in us and teaches us the truth in order to carry it out: "I will ask the Father to give you another advocate who will always be with you, the Spirit of truth", He asks us in turn to be comforting spirits for others. We have often heard that the Christian should be another Christ, and it is also true that he should be another Christ, and we exercise this mission of being comforters when we are close to the elderly, the children, the poor, the needy in general. This is the request of Jesus today in the Gospel: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (Jn 14,15). (Jn 14,15). Many times, perhaps, we cannot give anything to the sick person, we cannot take away his pain and suffering, but it is enough to tell him: I give you what I have, I give you my esteem, my friendship and my love, and I am sure that we receive more than we give. The sick person may not be able to give me
The sick person may not be able to give me anything, but together with him we feel close to God, carrying out the mission of consolation, which is extremely gratifying. The sick believer will never feel alone with our consoling action; he will always have Jesus Himself at his side, sharing and comforting him, so that everything will be more bearable, the Spirit of God being present, who will be a Comforter, Defender, Teacher and above all, a Guest and Friend.
PRAYER: Jesus, You have gone, but You sustain us with the promise of Your return, and the Church waits for You until the end of time, sustained by the Spirit of truth, loving You and keeping Your commandments.
ACTION: Wish peace to all who cross your path, share your faith and your smile with them.
(PSALM 117) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.
"HAPPY SUNDAY TO ALL".
