HELLO!

On May 10^th we celebrate Christian Family Sunday, or as many of us experience that day, Mother’s Day. When I served a three-point pastoral charge in Cape Breton, Mother’s Day ranked just below Christmas Eve as the highest attendance service for the year. Sometimes, at funeral, especially one where people are having a hard time getting through the service, I remind people, “at the core, all of it, all of life, is about Love.” People tell me this statement catches them off guard, it helps. What’s odd about this is, shouldn’t this be the church’s message every Sunday?

In John’s Gospel, Jesus uses words for love 57 times. Sunday’s reading begins, “If you love me and obey the commandments I give you.”  It is the only commandment Jesus gives to his disciples in the Gospel of John. Unlike, Matthew, nowhere in John does Jesus command us to go the second mile, turn the other cheek. In John’s Gospel, Jesus gives only this one commandment. It is: “I give you a new commandment, you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The risen Jesus is telling his disciples once he leaves them, the Spirit of truth will remain to guide them in all they do. How will they remember how to love each other? The Spirit will be with them.

The Spirit was to be the constant reminder to the followers of Jesus what Jesus would do in any situation, how to love each other in the unconditional way God loves every one of us. Most of those in John's community had never met Jesus. Most of the disciples were dead. For many the end-time would soon come. But the end-time didn't come. Life went on. This community felt pushed to the very edge of despair.

"I will not leave you orphaned," Jesus said, "I am coming to you." Jesus was calling his disciples to live and love in ways that seemed impossible. They couldn't do it, not without the Spirit. Jesus says, "The Holy Spirit, whom God will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of all that I have said to you." Jesus was saying: You don't know everything yet. You have more to learn. In every generation you will be faced with new questions. Jesus acknowledged there were things he had never talked about. "The Spirit will be your tutor," he said, "guiding you into all the truth." The Spirit will teach you how to love one another. The Spirit will keep us connected, said Jesus. You to me, all of us to God. And you to one another. We have not been left orphaned. We are love.

Peace, Kevin

PS Norm Shannon has died. He was surrounded by his loving family. Please keep Gwen and her family in your prayers. The funeral will be June 6^th.

PPS We held a Celebration of Life for Tony Harding today. Adelia’s two solos were very moving. Here is the livestream link: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZMe6O5ZbRrfOHw7DhVsDls9HxNuvH2s3Umy