In our church calendar it is the seventh week of Easter. In our readings, Luke authored the book of Acts to record the story of Jesus’ work after his resurrection in the years 60-62 AD. Yet, these readings are highly relevant today. The story of Jesus was not about good works in accordance with the laws of God, but the teachings of Christ that Gentiles and Jews alike are justified alone by faith in Jesus Christ. Today, we read about the social and political context in which Paul proclaims these truths about the Kingdom of God. It was not easy work for Paul. Having himself undergone a personal transformation to the faith proclaimed by Christ, Paul was mistrusted by many Gentiles and especially mistrusted by the Jews. To be fair, they were all seeking truth, but how would they know it? The Gospel says they were sent the Spirit of truth, but this was a new experience for them. They had to learn to be open to the Spirit’s guidance.
The lessons today reveal a critical element in our faith today as well as challenges to the growth of Christianity in the Roman world. Discernment. As a professor of anthropology at Creighton University, I was encouraged by the fact that our students were continually challenged to discern the truth in all situations. Students learned to seek spiritual guidance in their perceptions and understanding of complex or demanding situations. Seeking spiritual guidance is how we learn to discern the truth. John 16 says that the Lord will send us the Spirit of truth who will guide us. Yet, the truth is often obscured. The Gospel lesson today says that the stories told in the book of John are true because the Spirit of truth inspired them. We have learned to trust the Bible for truths. Daily life, however, requires constant discernment in new situations. I pray today that we will open our hearts to the words in John 16: 7 and 13, “I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.” And may we practice discernment.
Barbara Dilly
I came to Creighton in 2000 and retired in 2020. My twenty years of teaching, research and service in the Jesuit tradition enhanced my own life. It was an exciting time of celebration. I loved teaching and interacting with Creighton students because they responded so eagerly to the Ignatian pedagogical emphasis on the development of the whole person. It is this spirit of whole person development and celebration of life that I hope to infuse in my reflection writings.
My academic background is eclectic, preparing me well for the Liberal Arts academic environment at Creighton. I earned my BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA in 1988 and my Ph.D. in Comparative Cultures from the University of California, Irvine in 1994. My research focused on rural communities in the American Midwest, Latin America, and Australia. I taught Environmental Anthropology, Qualitative Research Methods, Social and Cultural Theory, and Food Studies courses.
I retired to Shell Rock, a small rural community in Northeast Iowa where I enjoy gardening, cooking, quilting, driving my 65 Impala convertible an my 49 Willys Jeepster. I have lots of fun playing my guitars with friends from the Cedar Valley Acoustic Guitar Association. But most importantly, I am still working to make my community and rural America a better place. I host a community quilt studio and serve on the Mission Board of my church. I also serve as the Climate Committee Chair and on the Executive Board of the Center for Rural Affairs.
