May 21st, 2023 - Seventh Sunday of Easter

Our times of transition, those “in between” times in life, are often very trying, very stressful times, filled with worries.  Such is the case with the disciples as Jesus approached the end of his Easter appearances and prepared for his departure from their sight, his ascension to glory. In response to their “transition anxiety,” Jesus prayed for his disciples and promised his disciples that the Father would send another Advocate -- the Spirit of truth -- to them, so that they would continue to know Jesus’ presence and love in their lives. Jesus assured them that in his Holy Spirit, he would be with them always until the end of time. The readings this Sunday and in the whole 10-day period between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday give us a strategy for dealing with the various transitions of our lives. The strategy is simple: entrust our lives, our fears, our burdens to the Spirit of the risen Lord. The Holy Spirit is our Consoler, our Advocate, and our Guide throughout our pilgrimage of life, but especially in times of transition. The Holy Spirit is our reliable mentor, the One who unfailingly directs us toward Christ, our Good Shepherd, and his green pastures.