Never Orphaned, Never Alone

Rebecca Sheridan
Sunday, May 14, 2023
John 14:15-21

Just this month, the U.S. Surgeon General published a report on the “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” threatening our nation’s public health.  In other words, loneliness is a deadly and serious disease affecting an estimated one out of two adults in our country today.  You might assume that the extreme isolation of many during the pandemic was the cause, but in fact, the research shows that the problem of loneliness has been growing over at least twenty years.  Already in 2001, Robert Putnam published his famous book, Bowling Alone, observing the national trend of the disintegration of participation in community organizations like religious and service organizations – the PTA, the Rotary, even bowling leagues.  Today, the Surgeon General is sounding the alarm because “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity “ (U.S. Surgeon General Report, May 2023 – “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf, accessed 10 May 2023).
There is a difference between being alone and being lonely, of course.  Even extroverts need some alone time.  Sometimes as a busy mom, I crave a few moments of alone time and I too often feel that I don’t get enough of it!  At the same time, all of us, I’m sure, know what it is like to feel lonely and the difference between having that feeling and being alone – even the most introverted of us.  Many of us have encountered too many people we know who are too isolated and lonely, and this report confirms it:  we have a loneliness problem as a society.  Jesus encourages us today in John’s gospel that as s a community of faith, we who believe in the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we have a powerful antidote to combat the plague of loneliness.  God has an answer for our disease of loneliness.  God gives us the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, to be with us forever, Jesus says.  Jesus will not leave us orphaned or alone.  Thanks be to God!
Let’s put some context to these assuring words from Jesus in the gospel for today.  John 14 is part of his long farewell speech to his disciples on Maundy Thursday, after he celebrates the Last Supper with them and washes their feet, before he is handed over by Judas Iscariot to the religious and governmental authorities to be crucified the next day.  Jesus is looking ahead – to his suffering, death, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost, the sending of the Holy Spirit.  He knows he will be with the disciples physically for only a little while longer, fifty days after Easter, but he wants them (and us!) to know that they will never truly be alone or abandoned.  He will be with them in spirit, as the Christ who lives in each of us; and if knowing that isn’t enough, the Father has sent the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be with us forever.  God is with us!  We are never truly alone, Jesus assures us in our gospel for today.
The title of “Advocate” to describe the Holy Spirit is an important one, because more literally translated from the Greek this title means, “the one who is called alongside us.”  In Jesus’ day, “advocate” was a legal term for a defense lawyer.  Before he ascends into heaven, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit to be alongside us, to defend us, to comfort, help, encourage, and intercede for us!  In other words, especially when we are feeling lonely, Jesus assures us again and again that we are never truly alone.  For those of us for whom this day is difficult because we are missing our moms, for those of us who could be described as “orphans” because both parents have died, for those of us who wanted children or grandchildren but didn’t, Jesus says “I will not leave you orphaned,” and a little later, “Because I live, you also will live.” Let’s remember, from John 10, Jesus wants us to have life abundant as children of God regardless of our family situation.
To the surgeon general’s point about loneliness and isolation, our faith can sustain us when we feel lonely just to know that the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, is with us always.  As we look forward to celebrating the festival of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, let’s remember the central functions of the Holy Spirit are to call, gather, and enlighten us and make us holy, from Luther’s Small Catechism’s explanation of the third article of the Apostles’ Creed.  The Holy Spirit as the Advocate whom Jesus calls to walk alongside us throughout life also calls us to walk alongside others, especially those who are lonely and isolated.  The church is a loving faith community that can be family for those who do not have family or are estranged from family, and a second family for those of us who are blessed to have loving families.  The church brings together people of all different backgrounds, ages, and abilities.  The church’s primary purpose is to connect people more deeply to God and to others; to build healthy relationships with God and others so that together, we know we are not alone and are no longer isolated.  We are called to preach, teach and SHARE GOD’s LOVE IN CHRIST!  We cannot say enough to those we are in relationship with, “You matter to God.  You matter to us.”
So today, let’s remember and encourage one another to check in with those in our church and in our community to let them know they are not alone.  When you send a card, or call someone, or invite them to dinner or lunch out, it might not seem like much, but it could be a lifesaving check-in – not just for that person, but also for you to know that YOU are not alone!  The church is a community where you should be able to be vulnerable enough to let another person in the church know if you are feeling lonely too often.  If one out of two adults report feeling lonely often in this country, know that you are not alone in feeling that way, and that the church is a place with people to help.  If we can’t help, we will try to connect you to folks who can. If you have a neighbor you’ve rarely seen or talked to, it might be time to try to meet that neighbor.  If you’ve been thinking of checking in with someone, if you are worried about someone, now is the time.  The Holy Spirit calls us to walk alongside others, to share the life that really is life in Jesus, who tells us that because he lives, so we also will live.  Be an advocate for the lonely, that they might find comfort, help, and a community of faith.  And thanks be to God, God is with us forever.  Amen.