Sermon preached at Bradford Cathedral

Jesus does not abandon us but comes alongside us if we seek to love him

If I have remembered rightly it was about 1 in the morning when the phone rang next to the bed. A colleague (who also lived on the school site) said simply: "I think you better go down and have a look in the Chapel." As Chaplain of the school the Chapel was my responsibility. We had spent about a year planning for a major re-decoration and repair of the School Chapel. (Please bear with me if you have heard this story, there is a point to it). It was towards the end of the summer term. The chapel had been closed for a few weeks and the workmen were well under way and would have finished ready for re-opening in September. Although July, it was a stormy night and threatening to rain as I walked down the hill. I was not prepared for what I was to see. The door was open, the lights on and inside was a shocking sight. There had been a vicious and frenzied attack on the chapel. The altar had been overturned, the stone font smashed, stained glass windows broken, the organ keys smashed so they looked broken teeth, paint thrown all over the walls and floor. It felt like evil had triumphed. In the days to follow, 1 question haunted me: Why had God allowed this to happen? Why had he not protected this consecrated place of worship? Why had He appeared to abandon us?

It was precisely this sense of abandonment that Jesus was trying to prepare his disciples for. He knew what was coming but they didn't. Jesus has this conversation because he has compassion on them. He feels for them. In short He loves them. They had left everything to follow Him because they believed in Him and now he is talking of leaving them. He knows they are bewildered. Here they are sharing the Passover meal and Jesus is saying farewell. Why is he doing that? He is at the height of his mission, he was acclaimed by the crowds and here he is in the Holy City. Surely greater things are about to happen? But he speaks of suffering and departing. Why? So, as we saw last week he says: 'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust in me. The life to come is not just for me and My Father, there are many mansions.' And now: 'I will not leave you as orphans, I am coming to you.' Trust me, he is saying. When it looks as though evil has triumphed, trust me. When things appear to go wrong and it makes no sense, trust me. You see, at this stage, Jesus knows that the disciples are still thinking as the world thinks. They don't yet understand that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts. Jesus is about to turn their understanding upside-down. By the time Peter is writing his letter he's got it. Christ suffered, he says, and so will we - it is God's will. Not suffering for its own sake but to bring us to God. If we allow it to happen, suffering hardships and trials (even when we are doing the right thing) can purify us as gold is purified in the fire. Of course we don't face Roman persecution as Peter's readers did. But if the world around us lives by values of self-interest and encourages us to gain wealth, success and status (even if it means treading on others to get there) and if Jesus challenges us to live differently, then, if we accept the challenge, it will bring us into conflict with those around. Jesus was heading for crucifixion because he had clashed with the leaders of his day. His integrity had shown up their compromise; his honesty their hypocrisy, his lack of regard for status and position had shown up their love of it. And those who take up the challenge to live by his values will sooner or later clash with those who live by the values of this world. But the message he is giving them here in John 14 is that his followers will not be left without help. 'I am coming to you' he says, and so he did three days later, in his Resurrection. But that was only for a time - for 40 days. But there is more: 'I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever.' 'Advocate' is a good word for the Greek 'Paraclete' - an impossible word to translate. It can mean Comforter, Helper, counselor, literally, the one who comes alongside to assist. i.e everything I have been to you, this Paraclete will be - here is another Jesus, one who will not go away, but be with them forever, and indeed, within them; the spirit of truth to bring truth to them. The Holy Spirit.

It took a further 5 months to repair and re-decorate the chapel. And during that time the Holy Spirit had been at work in ways I had not known. Under the supervision of the art and textiles teachers, a group of students had designed and made a piece of art. Something to hang in the renewed chapel. The idea was to express something of the pain of conflict, but to express too, that through it, there is hope. Crucifixion does not have the last word. And here it is, at the East wall in the Lady Chapel. If you have not had a chance to let the banner speak to you, it will be up for one more week. (And maybe there will be other pieces of art that speak to you during May when we host the CART exhibition). And if you are coming forward to seek healing prayer, maybe it can be an inspiration. In this life there is pain, physical, mental and spiritual. It can feel like a crown of thorns pressed down on us. But through the suffering shines the triumph of the Resurrection. We are not abandoned, not left as orphans. The One who gave His life for us, gives us His own Spirit. Whatever trials we face, whatever distress or suffering, whatever clashes with the powers of this world, we do not face them alone. He has given us another Advocate, the spirit of truth to strengthen, comfort and guide us, and to dwell within us so we can keep His commandments to love Him and to love those around us. As we move towards Pentecost, may we open ourselves again to welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives. Amen.