Our lectionary text today is a portion of what is called the Farewell Discourse. It is the longest monologue in the Bible that Jesus never spoke. It begins at the end of chapter 13 and goes through the end of chapter 17. So it is very interesting that here at the end of chapter fourteen it seems to end as Jesus says, "Come on, let's get out of here." This is a sign that the piece was not written as a single unit but has been redacted.

Three main points in today's passage:

1) Jesus promises that another advocate will come to them and dwell within them to teach and guide them. (How appropriate as we approach the season of Pentecost.)

2) Jesus speaks about the union between God, himself and the disciples. This reminded me of one of the Odes of Solomon, Ode 9, where it is written,

3) The gift of Peace. John has Jesus say, "My peace I leave with you. . ." Not like the pax romana, this is the Jewish idea of shalom.

The Psalmist sings,

Peace and justice are inseparable aspects of God's shalom. (Unfortunately, humanity is all too familiar with "peace" without social justice.)

Isaiah frequently speaks of a vision of peace and justice:

Later in Isaiah, healing, guidance, and comfort all lead to a state of social wellness or community wholeness that is called shalom.

These are beautiful and moving words. They express the radical inclusiveness of God's shalom: a way of being together in which all "shall be well, well for the far and the near."

Shalom is not just a gift to be passively received, but a social value to be actively pursued.

In Matthew's account of the beatitudes, Jesus says,

This means we work for social justice, too!

In Mark Jesus tells his disciples to "have salt among yourselves and keep peace (shalom) with each other." (Mk 9:50c) The salt is friendship and their practice of open table fellowship with one another, they are to keep this community of shared ministry united, whole, complete.

Again the emphasis is on acting in ways that build a sense of communal well-being and wholeness that is at the heart of shalom. If that last quote from Mark is any clue, this will involve sharing our resources, particularly food and healing, and strengthening our social connections with one another.

E. F. Schumacher, in his book, A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED, talks about the need today for a turning around of our society that will take courage and imagination. It requires both a new way of seeing the world and a new responsiveness to the needs of humanity. Schumacher writes,

It is this moral problem that has kept God's shalom a promise for the future rather than a reality of the present.

Today we are more interconnected than ever before in human history. With the internet we can connect with people across the globe 24/7. We can exchange goods, transfer funds, get information, faster than could have been imagined just a generation ago. Yet if this heightened connectivity doesn't lead to enlightened action we have missed our shalom. At the end of today's text from the gospel of John, Jesus, aware that his time is drawing short, says to his friends, "so the world may know I love God, I act exactly as God instructed me." This reminds me of something we read recently in Thich Nhat Hahn's book, THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA:

Jesus could have said that. It was the way he lived his life with integrity all the way up to the end. It is the only truly meaningful, joyful way for anyone to live.

Every act of love and compassion, every act of solidarity with those who are struggling for justice and peace, every act of kindness and generosity brings us a little bit closer to God's shalom. We have all the resources that we need. May we discover through living lives of true shalom our deep union with God, with one another, and with our brother Jesus. May this be the peace we seek and the blessing we offer to the world.

John 14:15-30

"If you love me, you'll obey my instructions. At my request God will provide you with yet another advocate, the authentic spirit, who will be with you forever. The world is unable to accept this spirit because it neither perceives not recognizes it. You recognize it because it dwells in you and will remain in you.

"I won't abandon you as orphans; I'll come to you. In a little while the world won't see me any longer, but you'll see me because I'm alive as you will be alive. At that time you will come to know that I'm in God and that you're in me and I'm in you. Those who accept my instructions and obey them - they love me. And those who love me will be loved by God; moreover, I will love them and make myself known to them."

Judas (not Iscariot) says to him, "Master, what has happened that you are about to make yourself known to us but not to the world?"

Jesus replied to him, "Those who love me will heed what I tell them, and God will love them, and we'll come to them and make our home there. Those who don't love me won't follow my instructions. Of course, the things you heard me say are not mine but come from the One who sent me.

"I have told you these things while I am still here with you. Yet the advocate, the holy spirit that God will send in my stead, will teach you everything and remind you of everything I told you. Peace is what I leave behind for you; my peace is what I give you. What I give you is not a worldly gift. Don't give in to your distress or be overcome by fear. You heard me tell you, ëI'm going away and I'm going to return to you.' If you loved me, you'd be glad that I'm going to God, because God is greater than I am. So I have now told you all this ahead of time so you will believe when it happens.

"Time does not permit me to tell you much more; you see, the ruler of this world is already on the way. However, so the world may know I love God, I act exactly as God instructed me. Come on, let's get out of here."