The Promised Paraclete

05-10-2020Weekly Reflection

Most scholars divide John’s Gospel into four sections, the 3rd section being the Book of Glory (Jn. 13:1-20:31). A large part of this section is the Farewell Discourse that contains Jesus’ spiritual encouragement. Jesus spoke openly to His disciples of His impending suffering. Thus, the discourse contains message of consolations to strengthen their faith, “Do not let your hearts be trouble, You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” (Jn. 14:1) Because He did not like to leave an impression that He was abandoning them, He re-assures them with a two-fold promise: “I will not leave your orphaned; I will come back to you.”

Jesus says to His disciples that if they love and obey His commands, He will ask the Father to send the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth to be with them. They will recognize Him when they receive the Paraclete, because He will remain with them, and will be within them. In effect, the presence of the Paraclete preserves; increases, and renews the life of grace received in Baptism. The Spirit preserves us from corruption caused by sin and gives a holy flavor to our life. Unless we grow in our relationship with God, in our spiritual life, the cares of the world will overcome us, leaving our minds and hearts vulnerable to evils desires. In the 1st reading, there was great joy in the city of Samaria after accepting the message of Philip. Seeing the many signs: healings and expulsions of evil spirits the people started to believe in Jesus, they “loved and obeyed Jesus’ command” and were ready to receive the Holy Spirit, for Jesus now remains in them.

“I will not leave you orphaned.” How can Jesus remain with the disciples if He is going to the Father? By sending the Paraclete, Jesus becomes the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the animator of the soul and moves the mind and heart to a spiritual conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. It also strengthens faith, knowing that He is ever present, “He remains in you and will be within you.” Jesus promises His disciples that He will remain with them, by asking the Father to give us the Spirit, thus, He remains with us even today. The same Spirit that “communicates to us, intimately and personally, the life that originates in the Father and is offered to us in the Son (CCC 683). In our baptism, we received the Holy Spirit with us and within us, animating and allowing us to experience the Divine Life, and bringing us to live in communion with the Three Divine Persons. That is why, we can never be truly orphaned.

Our obedience is the greatest sign of our love, and in return the Father and the Son will love us and reveal the Divine life more to us. The Holy Spirit who is the perfect communion of the Father and the Son brings the power of Jesus’ sacrifice to bear fruit in our lives. If we allow the Spirit to give us life, our spiritual journey, our Christian life will truly be a “life in the Spirit.” Do I believe that Jesus will never leave us orphaned? Do I allow the Holy Spirit to guide my journey in life? “Come Holy Spirit, I need you. Come Holy Spirit, I pray. Lord with your strength and your Power. Come in your own special way.”