John 16:12-15 is the Gospel Lectionary text for Trinity Sunday, June 12.
The Spirit of Truth will come and declare all things true, taking what is Jesus' Way and declaring it to us.
Has the Spirit of Truth been seeing what is going on in this Post-Truth, Alternative facts era of ours? Does the Spirit of Truth see whole TV and Radio networks spreading misinformation and disinformation purposefully in the world? Does the Spirit of Truth see organized groups of computer hackers and social media influencers purposefully sharing what is false to further their causes of hateful ignorance with the masses? Does the Spirit of Truth see a whole political party being hi-jacked to spin and twist any semblance of truth to suit their manipulative and exploitative goals?
Oh, Spirit of Truth, where are you?
Well, it seems to me that the Spirit of Truth is the ultimate influencer. The Spirit of Truth whispers in our hearts and minds, gives us a nudge and sometimes uses a board across our backsides to confront us with the truth. The receptors are the problem. The transmitters are the problem.
The receptors have turned off their frequencies centered in empathy and compassion, integrity and active commitment to others. The receptors have been influenced by Empire's propaganda machine and have turned inward, to look only to their own desires. The receptors in communities, in business, in politics and in church have bought into the idolatries of the age - self. The receptors filter everything they receive from the Spirit of Truth with, "Does it get me more money, power or status?" The receptors have been tuned out or turned off from receiving the message of the Spirit of Truth.
The transmitters are too weak sometimes and are full of static at others. The transmitters are too afraid to share the message of the Spirit of Truth, because it may put them at odds with their "constituents" or friends or family or the public, whose adoration they crave on social media and elsewhere. The transmitters put out a message that is not the Truth of Jesus' Way, but a jumbled-up mess of messages about Empire and Jesus, to the degree that the Truth of Jesus is lost in its relevance to the Truth. The transmitters take what is declared by the Spirit of Truth and confound the listeners with their own, mixed messages about wealth, power and status. The transmitters transmit messages that are not in the Spirit of Truth.
The Spirit of Truth is listening and watching, present and powerful. Those who desire to know what the Spirit of Truth declares - the truth of Jesus' Way of Agape Love, tune out the other noise and receive it clearly. Those who desire to transform the world with Jesus' Way of Agape Love broadcast it clearly, with a powerful signal to many around them. Those who desire to know the Truth of Jesus' Way of Agape Love and transform the world with it are the conduits through which Jesus' Good News is shared, even though others do not transmit that or receive it.
Are you tuned in? What are you transmitting out into the world around you?
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