Sixth Sunday of Easter

 Lectionary: 55

And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.

There are many reasons for not wanting to know the truth. None of them are good perhaps, but they're all powerful and persuasive. Or, as recovering alcoholics say, they're "cunning, baffling, and powerful." Given our druthers, we'druther not know of our fallibility, faults, and foolishness. Not to mention our ignorance and naivete. It's just easier to believe the first impression or what everyone else believes. We'd rather be wrong than proven wrong.

There's nothing new about that. Philosophers have observed it of their fellows for many centuries, and the Bible often reminds us how foolish, sinful, ridiculous, and wrong we are. The truth is not alien to us, but neither is it agreeable. It owes us nothing but remains eternally above and beyond us.

What is somewhat new is social media and the Internet with their echo chambers where like-minded virtual souls gather virtually to reinforce their beliefs and discourage dissent. Unlike families, neighborhoods, ethnic and religious groups where curmudgeons lurk, these fictitious societies select those who belong and expel those who don't. They cannot abide dissent or disagreement. I made a remark about guns on the Internet once and heard about it for the next week. Don’t these people have a life? But, for all I know, they might have been bots.

Politicians discovered several years ago that compromises and middle-of-the-road rationality raise less money than bashing opponents and outlandish ideas. Even utter nonsense appeals to some people who reward it with cash. Painting fantasy pictures of how things used to be or might be someday, they make no pretense of honesty. Even the traditional news media who once claimed to market unbiased news have abandoned their integrity to cater to select audiences. Forgetting the truth, they give their consumers what they want. It's the money.

Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as an "advocate" or shepherd who leads us to the truth. He doesn't assure us it will be comfortable or easy. The trip will often be difficult, painful, uncomfortable and scary. Nor will it satisfy everyone. It might satisfy no one. God owes us nothing, and especially He owes us no assurance that we’re good, honest, holy, or righteous people.

There might not be a happy ending to this story. Our only reassurance is that the truth is good, and the only questions for us are, "Do you love the good? Do you want to know what is good? Are you ready to hear the truth or learn something you never expected or suspected? Or do you prefer the old and familiar?"

A man's rising from the dead is something new. His sending the Spirit of Truth is something unexpected, although it is not without precedent. We have the writings of Scripture and the witness of saints and martyrs to show us how God has always shepherded us with his crook and staff. And it's not always been pleasant. For every blessing in the Bible, there are a dozen threats; and for every threat, a host of blessings. Take your choice.

The Church is a fellowship of not-like-minded souls. We are something new, because God has created, assembled, and sustained the Church. We thought we'd have a choice in our companions. We’d like to avoid unpleasant, obnoxious, and disagreeable people. But these chosen ones are God’s gift to us. These bishops, these priests, these deacons, catechists, musicians, and Eucharistic ministers; these men and women, children and strangers are God's gift. We are God's gift to one another. Those who despise us despise the Lord.

Because we have found the Truth and the Good in Jesus of Nazareth, and especially in his Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, we cannot turn away.