In the Gospel of John (14:15-21) the "world" is used to highlight the unacceptance of the "Spirit of Truth" and stands for everything that is opposed to God: hatred, violence, a lack of charity and unity. The "world" is that which is lacking in the in-dwelling Love of God.

John highlights those who are unwilling to accept this "Spirit of Truth" as those opposed to the ways of Christ - the visible God. The "world" is a seedy place, a place where selfish-ness and greed, lust and desire for power obtained by the putting down of others; a lifestyle where goodness and hope are replaced by their opposites: badness and despair. For nearly 50 years there was a very popular television show called "As the World Turns", a daytime soap opera that highlighted the seediness of life tragedy brought on usually by greed or infidelity; or by the desire to acquire power not for the building up of the common good but rather for the enrichment of the "self". It is amazing that for fifty years this show captivated the minds and hearts of so many folks during the daytime?! For John's Gospel, the "world does not love; faithful disciples do. The world does not have life; faithful disciples do. Faithful disciples see, love, and live because of the Father's gift of Spirit dwelling within them. This divine indwelling is God's very love." We are called to be God's love made visible, that the world may see Jesus, come to the truth, and choose to live in faithful love.

That faithful living out of the love of God is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit - the same Spirit breathed on His apostles on Pentecost - which we will celebrate on June 8 - and which signifies the birth of His Church carrying on His mission and ministry in the modern world. Our Confirmation students received the fullness of the same Holy Spirit two weeks ago, and it is hoped that that Holy Spirit will infuse their minds and wills, calling them to be faithful Catholics in the world and leaders in our church community. It is believed that this gift of the Holy Spirit will lead them to care for the poor, reach out to the lonely and forgotten, offer hope to the hopeless, and of equal import call them to the Truth to be lived out in their own lives.

For many folks, the Ten Commandments appear to be burdensome. That is to say, that to live them out requires a heavy toll - however, few of us wish to be cheated on or treated unfair-ly or lied to or murdered - and in fact the Ten Commandments are freeing, that is if they are lived out by all then life and the world we live in would be a much happier place. This weekend's gospel offers us another view of the Ten Commandments: illustrating them as an expression of our love for God. For if we keep the Ten Commandments and see them in the context of love then they cannot be isolated as "laws for laws sake" but rather they are lived as an expression of the fullest of our human image and like-ness of God. We must come to recognize the Ten Commandments as the source and summit of Love, God Himself, and then come to see this love of God expressed in a three-fold manner: (1) Jesus loves His disciples by revealing Himself to us; (2) the Father shows love by sending His Spirit to dwell within His dis-ciples always; and (3) the disciples love Jesus by keeping His Commandments.

This is only possible when we learn to love God deeply and to express that love for God by loving others in His name. The Catholic Church is an expert in this living-out-of-this-Love-of?God: it is done universally in the Church throughout the world in missions and through social justice; it is lived out in the dioceses by programs such as the Archbishop's Annual Appeal and in the teaching arm of the Church; and, it is accomplished at the parish level by the ongoing work of so many parishioners who by the action of their hearts carry on the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ - done like no other institution in the world. All formed by the Ten Commandments, the teaching authority of the pope and bishops, and from the well-formed will and hearts of her people, the Body of Christ.