GOSPEL POWER l MAY 23, 2022 - MONDAY of 6th Week of Easter

Gospel: Jn 15:26–16:4a  

Jesus said to his disciples, 26“When the Advocate comes, whom I will  send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the  Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27You also are to testify because  you have been with me from the beginning. 1 “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming  when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering  worship to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known  the Father or me. 4 But I have said these things to you so that when  their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.” 

Religious intolerance is the sad result of fanaticism that  turns God into the image and likeness of human beings,  projecting onto God the violence that corrupts the human  heart. The true image and likeness of God has come in the person  of Jesus, revealing that God is the pro-life, nonviolent lover, and  savior of all. Since Jesus thought, taught, and acted differently, he  too was persecuted on account of religious intolerance. But his  death was not a senseless sacrifice, for it unleashed the power that  would renew the face of the earth. In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his  disciples concerning the prospect of religious intolerance, since no  servant is above his master. But just as the Holy Spirit empowered and  emboldened Jesus to accomplish his mission in the face of opposition,  so will the same Holy Spirit stand alongside the believers in times of  persecution and enable them to witness to Jesus. 

Lord Jesus, keep us attuned to your Holy Spirit, that we may remain  steadfast in our commitment to you. Ame