Sixth Sunday of Easter

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Acts 16:9-15 Psalm 67 Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 John 14:23-29

Today’s Reflection: When I was growing up, social networking was eavesdropping on a neighbor’s call on our party line. It is how all the community news spread. Today I no longer even have a landline telephone, much less one I share with four neighboring houses, and my cell phone is used more for texting and instant messages than it is for calls. Times change and our ways of communication do too. The way God communicates with us has changed over time as well and today’s passages examine some of the ways that communication takes place. The Old Testament is filled with examples of God interacting directly with his chosen leaders and prophets. From personal spoken conversations to visions to guiding natural phenomena, God’s message came directly from him to the intended audience. That much remains true today through the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who Jesus spoke of coming into the world upon his departure. The Spirit came to “teach and remind” as the guiding voice of God on the earth. Rather than requiring an audible voice, the nature of the Spirit guides our conscience so that we know in the moment whether we are doing right or wrong. No matter the form of the communication from God, the message is personal and intentional. As Paul and many who have received a message from God know, the directions are not always easy, but they are the direction meant at the time.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org