6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER: CARE FOR ORPHANS IS A CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY

Christ’s statement in the gospel stands out for several reasons: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” This affirms divine presence and trust. The context of this gospel is Christ’s farewell speech to his disciples. Jesus is about to return to the Father, but he understands the meaning of abandonment and how it can affect his disciples' mindsets. He has been a paternal presence. Therefore, he reminds the disciples to stay connected with the Father, to remain in God’s love. Just as keeping family rules helps the family relationships to function effectively, keeping God’s commandments attracts the love of the Father. Jesus’ ascension to the Father will usher in the Holy Spirit, the second advocate, the Spirit of truth and comforter.

The word advocacy is used in many parlances to describe some activism today. But we see the true meaning in Acts of the Apostles with the spread of the gospel and the establishment of Christian communities. Philip, one of the elected seven, baptizes the Gentile converts in Samaria. The apostles delegate Peter and John to convey apostolic authority. Those baptized would need the advocate, the Holy Spirit, to teach them all things in Christ Jesus. The advocate will make God’s joy complete in their lives.

In the gospel, Jesus says, “I will not leave you orphans.” Scripture makes it clear in several passages about God’s special love for orphans (Ex. 22:22-23; Deut. 10:18; Deut. 24:17; Prov. 23:10-11; Jer. 7:6-7). Jesus reinforces that image, showing his passion for this vulnerable class. He promises the disciples, “I will come to you.” Jesus is the first advocate. His mission is to share divine life with God’s people. He communicates the Father's love. The Holy Spirit is the second advocate. His mission is reassurance of divine safety and freedom. He will teach all truth.

It is hard to communicate the experience of being an orphan for someone with full family protection. Being an orphan has so much to do with abandonment, having no one to speak on one’s behalf, and lacking someone to rely on. The orphan does not always have anyone to share their needs with. That leaves a perpetual trauma in their hearts. Orphaned children constantly risk being exposed to harm. Neglect and uncertainty for the future define their lives. They are unsure if anyone would accept them. Some orphans have no one to hug them when they feel lonely. No one consoles them when they cry. No one provides them with food when they get hungry. No one hears their voice when they speak. The stigma of being orphans crushes their identity. Jesus uses the image of an advocate, someone to fulfil parental needs for great reasons, in the gospel. The root word comes from the Latin advocare, “ad” meaning ‘to’ and “vocare” meaning ‘call.” An advocate is someone who comes to your aid, someone you can call on, someone who steps in to help.

Jesus does all this for the disciples. Jesus feeds them. He pays the temple tax on their behalf. Jesus teaches them how to pray and defends them against the Pharisees. Jesus washes their feet. Above all, he dies for them. Now he comes back to gather them after his resurrection. As he leaves, they feel abandoned, yet he reassures them, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to be with you always.” He promises not to leave them orphans.

In her book ABIDE, Heather Khym described God’s abiding presence this way: “In our hearts we have aches and longings that cannot be satisfied by anyone or anything other than Jesus, so despite the brokenness of our past, Jesus was and still is the only answer” (Abide, p.23). This is absolutely true. Jesus is the only answer to our innermost desires. As believers, we are sent to represent him in the world. Heather narrates her experience with saving her two-year-old son Judah, who became sick and nearly died. The experience was horrifying. She pulled this kid out of bed and called 911 for emergency help. Suddenly, the siren blared as the ambulance approached in the distance. Heather began to speak strength and hope to her son, “Judah, do you hear that? Buddy, they are coming for you; they are coming to save you” (p.12). Heather becomes an advocate who saves Judah.

Orphans lack this privilege because there’s rarely someone to speak hope to them. There’s rarely someone by their side to say, “They are coming for you.” I feel it every time I visit the kids at my orphanage home in Nigeria. They rush with excitement, yet with some sense of caution. They do not experience hugs as easily as others. They do not know much about a mother’s comfort or a father’s warmth. They do not always hear the sirens of an ambulance when they are sick. They are not always covered with a mom’s hug in their loneliness. Now we can understand why Jesus said those words, “I will not leave you orphans.” Is it possible that Jesus is asking us to extend our advocacy for orphans in society?

Amazingly, we hear those words of Jesus on a day we celebrate Mother’s Day in the US. Jesus wants us to remember children who feel abandoned, those who have no one to advocate for them. Jesus sends us out into the world as advocates. He reminds us that the Holy Spirit is our advocate, the sturdy presence is with us to inspire God’s love. As our mother, the Church is constantly feeding and providing spiritual nourishment through the teachings of the scriptures and the sacraments. Our mission is to become advocates for those in need. The plight of orphans in the world is real. They need us to survive. They desire our advocacy to feel the love of God, who is our Father. Jesus says, “And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him” (Jn. 14:21). Let the love of Jesus be revealed in us through our love for orphans and those in need.

Readings: 1^st- Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; 2^nd- 1 Pet. 3:15-18; Gospel- Jn. 14: 15-21