One of the basic themes of John’s Gospel is seeing Jesus as Light. Some are pictured as seeing and believing, but some see and return not desiring to see that clearly. John has many verses in chapters 14 through 17 about Jesus exhorting members of the Jesus Community to “remain” or This is stated quite openly in the first verse of Chapter sixteen with the reading of today’s liturgy. “I have told you this so that you may not fall away”.

Ten days ago here in Omaha we experienced great distruction from several tornadoes. Homes, cars, communication-lines were flattened. I was wondering, while at prayer the next morning, how do those who are believers, well, still believe. Faith can seem easier when life’s events seem easier with which to live. I found myself wondering also if bad things occurred only to bad people, bad in whose mind of course. God might ddecide that and this would force us to do better and better for our reward. Quite a divine business, that would make it such.

The Gospel passage ends announcing that His followers, (John’s community of Jesus’ followers) are going to be thrown out of the Jewish community and some will be killed! They will do these things, thinking they were living their “hour”.

Jesus is comforting His hearers and us as well.

I would imagine that some of the tornado-victims may have been thrown out of their houses and so out of their faith-relationship with God. I can understand that, but my belief is that God’s Advocate is the Spirit of creation and reconstruction, of buildings, lives and faith. This is central to believing in an actively loving God. God is not the Distructor or cause of the tornados, which is a natural angry reaction. This weather phenomonom was relentless. Our belief, though at times fragile, is that this Holy Spirit relentlessly urges fidelity in the face of fisasters and disappointments. “Remain” as I “remain” in and with you. So hard to stay in God’s house as our house is flying away.