We were walking out from the hospital just the other day. Our daughter had needed treatment. I was carrying her on my shoulders and all of our bags in my hand. We had been up all night and I was at the end of my strength. As we walked it started to rain. ‘How far will you carry me, daddy’, she asked?

In that moment something awoke in my soul that I had not created, something powerful, something that I said yes to. This something was not my strength but made me strong. A profound willingness to carry this child’s destiny at all costs through all pain lit up in my heart. With this simple question from a two year old, my heart was surrounded with a love that carried me as well as her.

‘How far will you carry me, daddy?’  ‘As far as is needed, my love’ I said.

What if we loved everyone in this way? What if we allowed ourselves to be loved by others, loved by Christ, in this way? What if at every moment our heart was filled with a willingness to carry the destiny of everyone connected to us, despite the pain, as far as is needed?

In our gospel today, Christ speaks to the disciples about the Holy Spirit, the one who brings us comfort and spirit courage. For when we are touched by the Holy Spirit, there is nothing more truly comforting than the warmth, strength and gentleness of His presence, walking with us, loving us, carrying us as far as is needed.

This contemplation by Rev. Evans is inspired by John 14-16 and The Holy Spirit.