JOHN 14: 15-21

Jottings on John…Easter 6…Revised 2020

At a Confirmation I hear the bishop encouraging the candidates, all teen-agers, to be not just ‘good joiners’, but ‘good stickers’, too! That still sticks with me! Reminding me that the Paraclete, the Spirit Jesus calls to our side, not only joins us on our journey, but sticks with us.

‘Stickability’ doesn’t get onto the normal lists of ‘gifts of the Spirit’. It’s a great gift, though! Right up there with all those others Paul lists! God expects us to have stick-ability! 

Because God Himself is a Sticker. In the Person of Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, God is always at our side, come what may. ‘Paraclete’, ‘called to the side of’, &, keeping us ‘sticking’ is my preferred understanding of Holy Spirit since I hear that bishop put it that way that day.

Our Paraclete enables us to walk the Jesus Way, be as True as Jesus is, & Live out that Way & that Truth Jesus is as He sticks by our side in the ups & down & ins & outs of our humanity. Through thick & thin, there by our side is God in the Person of our Paraclete. Making God real for us & those among whom we live & serve. As       + Rowan Williams puts it: ‘…all that God does is done by the whole Trinity equally’¹ 

Today, Christianity, & God with it, is well & truly on the skids. Breaches of trust like abuse, inability, or disinterest in sharing the Gospel meaningfully at ‘ground level’, are turning our Churches from living, organisms of the Body of Christ into organisat-ions!

To let anybody, or anything distract us from our calling to Walk the Jesus Way, Live the Jesus Life, & be the Jesus Truth calls our personal stickability into question.

Recognising the Paraclete walking beside us, empowers us to walk beside others & stick with them as their ‘small p’  paraclete' by their side.

Brian

Afterthought : Among those who appreciate Celtic input, ‘anamchara’ may resonate-  a soul-friend who walks by our side & sticks with us through thick & thin come what may.  

¹ The Dwelling of the Light, John Garratt, Mulgrave, 2003, p.49