“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” — Jesus in John 16:5-7
More than once, I’ve thought it would be nice if the flesh and blood Jesus would show up and tell us a little more about being his followers. I know I’m not the only one to feel that. But as Jesus describes above, it was better for him to go away, because he was to be followed by the Advocate, the Holy Spirit who was not to be constrained to flesh and blood.
Our work as followers of Jesus today is to be open to the leading of this Spirit. Jesus is still at work, directing his followers through the Spirit. This Sunday will be our monthly time of learning how to recognize and respond to the Spirit as we ask together: “What is God saying to me?” and “What am I doing about it?”
