A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost - B

May 20, 2018

St. John 15:26-16:15 - NRSV

26 “When the Advocate[a] comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

16 “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4 But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

The Work of the Spirit

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate[b] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about[c] sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Footnotes:

1. John 15:26 Or Helper
2. John 16:7 Or Helper
3. John 16:8 Or convict the world of

 Spirit Rant

Silence kills as tyrants rise

the powerful are deaf

to the powerless cries

and lies are told upon lies

and the center

can no longer hold

when truth is for sale

and sold

and stones are shouting

out from Beth-el

echoing Amos’s

ancient words

giving voice now

to the voiceless

breaking the silence

in the absurd

theatre

of the wealthy 1%

deaf to justice’s

cries.

Vaulted ceilings

shelter pews

comforted by

complicit preachers'

words.

Tear the curtains,

rip the pew pads

expose the gods

and idols now.

Burn the churches

bare their apathy

shout from the ashes

as you bow.

No longer worship

the illusion

of the sacred

golden cow.

Give voice!

Give Voice!

to all in Congress

so they can behold

the naked,

the hungry,

the refugee.

Now is the time

to set Congress free

from bondage to the buck.

The Spirit is blowing

where it wills

and breathing compassion

into those who still

are on fire for the least

and invite all

to the Divine Feast.

Copyright 2018 @A Poem a Sunday

May be used with permission

kennstorck@gmail.com