The Advocate

When missionaries came to the Kimberley, they were faced with local aboriginal beliefs and culture that had endured for many thousands of years. They were faced with the challenge of how these traditional beliefs would relate to Christianity. The anthropologist Kenelm Burridge wrote:

        the missionaries brought to the aborigines not just a foreign faith which might have been as    
        acceptable to them as anyone else, but a faith in foreign cultural wrappings.

The task for the missionaries was to communicate the Christian faith in a way that suited the cultural norms of the people of the Kimberley without diluting or compromising that faith. It is a big ask, and it continues today. Our reading from Acts tells us of the first time this was encountered, and how the apostles faced the issue. The procedure followed by the apostles also informs us how to make decisions as Christians.

The key person to this process of discernment is the Holy Spirit.

Among the disciples were those who demanded that new Christians follow the Jewish dietary law and then put the Christian observance over the top.  Others disagreed, so they met and talked together in prayer. There is no doubt the debate would have been heated, but it was conducted in the context of prayer and mutual support. This was the first council of the church, the Council of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit was called upon for the first time to bring the gifts that we received at confirmation: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. This is the only way that they were able to come to agreement, and then able to say: it has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves. Recently, with the election of Pope Francis, we had a similar public acknowledgement of the action of the Holy Spirit when it was requested.

It is clear that when we face major issues in the life of our church or world, we need the gifts and action of the Holy Spirit to ensure the correct decision is made and course of action followed. Beyond that, however, we need the Spirit to be with us as our helper, our advocate, the one who provides the strength promised by Christ. Each day we need the advocate who will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.

Each of us encounters challenges in our daily lives that need the discernment of the Holy Spirit. We have opportunities to contribute positively to discussion and debate in our homes workplaces and community, or just to stay silent. We do this by studying and discussing what we believe and why, by struggling with the teachings of the church which we find difficult, not just giving up on them. Simply put, we have the chance to lead, or be led. If we choose to lead, we do so with the wisdom of the church and the guidance of the Spirit, not just the opinion of one person.

All of us need that spirit, whether we consider ourselves close to God or not, we all need to be held by this Spirit. Today let us ask for these wonderful gifts.