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- Under the breath of the
Pentecost.
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- " It is good for you that I go away, because if
I don't, the Comforter will not come to you"
- (John 16, 7).
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- These words attributed to Jesus by John reflect well how
the disciples had lived. What an ordeal for them the death of
Jesus was, and more so in such shameful circumstances! However,
after some time, they realized that Jesus' death was not the
end but that he was staying present amongst them, still alive.
Then, progressively, they dropped those years of close proximity
with him, giving this daily familiarity up. This is the meaning
of the Ascension. They were at last ready to greet the Christ
of the Resurrection and to make a new start.
For us and for all Christians, everywhere, it is good that Jesus
is no longer among us. When he was physically present, he was
enclosed in a given time, limited to the space he could walk.
He was limited to a culture, a way of thinking, and a language
with its stereotype expressions. We would be more tempted to
copy Jesus, to just imitate his behaviour.
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Becoming the managers of his Tradition, that is what he had
delivered by his teaching and his way of living, the Christians,
at different times and cultures are called upon to incarnate
the Good News of Jesus in a diversity of surroundings. What an
extraordinary creative mission it is, keeping fidelity to his
message and being present to the world of today. Under the breath
of the Holy Spirit, the message of the Beatitudes is called upon
to be applied in the conditions of our own time, in the diversity
of our cultures and civilisations. And that happens not only
under the actions of the Christians, but also through the actions
of the agnostics or the believers of other religions who work
together to promote a world more human. |
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- Expressing his own experience as well the one of those
who walked with Jesus, John can add:" When the Comforter
will be there (it was so hard for them to get over his departure),
he will lead you towards the whole truth". Only the breath
of the Spirit of Jesus can endlessly make us discover, enlarge
and deepen the meaning of this truth.
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Spirit of truth, Spirit of holiness, he can only be seen now
through the way the Christians believe and live in their actual
life. It is a huge responsibility that they have, although keeping
confidence and serenity. This is because of this word of Jesus
transmitted by John: "In verity I tell you, those who believe
in me, will also do the work that I do, they will even do greater
one" (John, 14, 12) |
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