Pentecost Sunday
Teach and Remind

I’m not very good at telling jokes. I like them, but after I hear one and laugh at it, I let it go and forget it. I suspect this doesn’t just apply to jokes. The Gospel today hints that the disciples may have had the same weakness when Jesus says the Spirit will “teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” (John 14:26).
Jesus spent three years teaching his disciples about the kingdom of God. While he may have condensed his message to “Love God . . . and love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30–31), he spent most of his time showing them how much God loves them and how to love their neighbor. He used parables as examples and miracles as signs of the Father’s love. He answered their questions and explained things privately. Knowing that this would still not be enough, he promised to send the Spirit after he had risen. He seems to have known that sometimes you just can’t learn by listening. You have to experience some things to understand them. Sometimes you have to explain something to someone else before you understand it yourself. And that is what the disciples would do.
When they received the Spirit after Jesus’ resurrection, they began to talk about Jesus to anyone who would listen. They also began to do the things Jesus talked about. They fed the poor and healed the sick. Thus they began to experience Jesus in those around them. They would remember what Jesus had taught them and apply it in their lives. They even accepted suffering for their faith.
We too can receive that promise from Jesus to have the Spirit teach and remind us. As we share our faith with others, we begin to experience Jesus in them. Just talking about our faith helps it to grow. As we listen to the Lord in prayer, we are reminded of passages in the Bible that we have read or heard from the altar on Sunday. We begin to understand how they apply in our lives. We may remember things that seemed to be very bad but turned out to be God’s plan—maybe losing a job, only to find a better one; or moving away from friends, only to make new friends later. May the Holy Spirit teach and remind us of the signs of God’s love. 
Tom Schmidt        

Short Version

I’m not very good at telling jokes. I like them, but after I hear one and laugh at it, I let it go and forget it. I suspect this doesn’t just apply to jokes. The Gospel today hints that the disciples may have had the same weakness when Jesus says the Spirit will “teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” (John 14:26). 
Jesus spent three years teaching his disciples and showing them how much God loves them and how to love their neighbor. He used parables as examples and miracles as signs of the Father’s love. He answered their questions and explained things privately. Knowing that this would still not be enough, he promised to send the Spirit after he had risen. You have to experience some things to understand them. And that is what the disciples would do.
When they received the Spirit after Jesus’ resurrection, they also began to do the things Jesus talked about. They fed the poor and healed the sick. Thus they began to experience Jesus in those around them. They would remember what Jesus had taught them and apply it in their lives. They even accepted suffering for their faith.
We too can receive that promise from Jesus to have the Spirit teach and remind us. As we share our faith with others, we begin to experience Jesus in them. As we listen to the Lord in prayer, we are reminded of passages in the Bible and we begin to understand how they apply in our lives. May the Holy Spirit teach and remind us of the signs of God’s love.
Tom Schmidt