The Gospel according to John (16:5-11)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
Reflection:
Hello, my friends. As you likely know, the daily Mass Gospel readings tend to stay the same from year to year. So, now that we’re in our fifth year of writing reflections for the DEACON5, I’ve seen this Gospel before a few times. So, I hope it’s not too big a scandal that I refer to my past reflections as part of my pondering and preparation process for these reflections I write. What I noticed about this Gospel is that I always focused on the first part of it, Jesus’ response to His disciples’ sadness at Jesus’ imminent departure (this Gospel, after all, does take place on the night of the Last Supper, the night before Jesus’ crucifixion).
Just to change it up, I want to ponder that last part of today’s Gospel. Jesus’ words about how the Holy Spirit which He promises will “convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation.” Those sound like very ominous and frightening words, don’t they?
As many of you likely know, I’m a fan of the online program about Jesus’ followers called “The Chosen”. While Linda and I are waiting for the latest season to come to streaming (next month!), we’ve been re-watching the prior seasons. What I noticed clearly in season four (which covers the time leading up to Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which we remember each Palm Sunday) is you can see how the surrounding circumstances in first century Israel could easily cause fear for the disciples. When you place that as a backdrop for this Gospel today, it’s not at all a stretch to say that Jesus’ words would give the disciples great concern.
But, Jesus is reassuring them that the Holy Spirit, which comes from God and *is* God, is more powerful than their fear, and more powerful than their adversaries. On the one hand, they were facing imminent suffering and martyrdom (and many early Christians suffered likewise), but on the other, that was not able to stop the new Christian Church from not only surviving but thriving through the centuries. We only need look to the recent election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to see that in action.
The world is definitely a scary place in many ways, and it is coming to value faith and living a life of sacrifice less and less. But, you and I are the current recipients of that promise from today’s Gospel, and the Holy Spirit is with us, and He is more powerful than any of our adversaries in the world. Let us remember that, and know that we never walk alone. Let us take heart in that, no matter what challenges we may face.
Action for the Day:
Take a quiet moment today and say this prayer to the Holy Spirit: “Come Holy Spirit, enter into the hearts of those who are your own, and help us to listen to Your words in our ears, and know that You will renew the face of the earth. Amen.”
Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/
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