Breaking Open the Word (Youth) - 6th Sunday of Easter
“I will not leave you orphans.”
John 14:18
» Readings: https://universalis.com/Asia.Singapore/20260510/mass.htmWhat’s happening
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure.
They have walked with Him, listened to Him, depended on Him. But now Jesus speaks about leaving, and beneath His words is an unspoken fear the disciples are probably carrying:
What happens when You are no longer here?
Jesus responds with reassurance.
“I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever… I will not leave you orphans.”
Jesus promises them the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. Not simply as guidance or help, but as presence. Even when Jesus is no longer physically visible, they will not be abandoned.
And this promise unfolds in the First Reading. After Peter and John laid hands on them, the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit, and their faith becomes something living and real. There is joy, healing, and transformation.
The Second Reading continues this same thread. Christians are called to live with hope and quiet confidence, even in difficulty, because Christ is still alive and still with them.
What it means to me
I think many of us know what it feels like to feel alone. Not necessarily physically alone, but internally alone.
Sometimes we carry regrets from the past — mistakes we wish we could undo, words we wish we had not said, moments we are ashamed of, or wounds we still carry quietly.
Other times, we become anxious about the future. We worry about whether we will succeed, whether things will work out, whether we are making the right decisions, or whether we are enough. The future can feel uncertain, and that uncertainty can slowly weigh on us.
And in the middle of all this, God can sometimes seem distant too.
We pray, but hear nothing. We come for Mass, but feel distracted. We want clarity, reassurance, or direction, but instead we feel silence. The disciples probably felt something similar when Jesus spoke about leaving them.
But Jesus does not promise them an easy life or immediate answers. Instead, He promises His presence.
“I will not leave you orphans.”
The Spirit of truth reminds us that God has not disappeared.
Even when He feels hidden, He is still near. Even when faith feels weak, He is still working quietly within us.
Sometimes we expect God’s presence to feel dramatic or obvious. But often the Spirit works gently:
in the strength to keep going
in the quiet conviction to do what is right
in peace that slowly returns
in people who walk beside us
in the reminder that we are loved more deeply than we realise
The world often tells us that we must handle everything ourselves.
But the Gospel reminds us that we were never meant to journey alone.
Today
Maybe the invitation this week is simply to become more aware of God’s presence in the ordinary parts of life.
Not only in big spiritual moments, but in the quiet ones:
a conversation that encourages you
the strength to begin again after failure
a moment of unexpected peace
someone checking in on you
the courage to be honest
the small reminder that you are not abandoned
The Spirit of truth does not just teach us things about God.
The Spirit reminds us that God is still here.
And perhaps that is the truth many of us need to hear most today.
Prayer
Lord, sometimes You feel distant, and I do not always know where You are leading me.
In moments when I feel alone, anxious, or uncertain, remind me that You have not abandoned me.
Help me to recognise Your presence in the ordinary moments of my life.
Send Your Spirit to guide me, strengthen me, and remind me that I am deeply loved.
Amen.
