John 16:12-15
12 I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you to bear now.13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come.14 He will glorify me, since all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine.15 Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine.
The disciples are more than a bit confused and disturbed. They were prepared for what they thought would be a pleasant supper with Jesus before the start of the festival of Passover. Then Jesus washed their feet. What was that about? He told them about serving one another, but He was Lord and Master so why wash their feet? Then He spoke of betrayal and soon after Judas left in a hurry. Later He talked about being hated by the world and coming persecutions. And now Jesus speaks of the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth. Who is the Spirit of Truth? Hasn't Jesus been telling them the Truth for three years? This is not the nice supper with the Teacher the disciples had expected.
"I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you to bear now." We are like the disciples aren't we? The Lord has many things to say to us but we are not prepared, not strong enough, to hear His words. Or, perhaps even more disturbing, we are afraid if we listen to closely to His teaching we may have to change our lives. Maybe sometimes Jesus is too honest for us. He holds up a mirror and the image we find there is not pretty. How can we face the truth about the world and ourselves? Jesus gives us the answer. The Spirit of Truth is coming and He will "lead you to the complete truth...and he will reveal to you the things to come." The complete truth is available to us in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. Jesus tell us that all that the Spirit "reveals to you will be taken from what is mine." So the Holy Spirit reveals to us the fullness of the truth that Jesus has been teaching. The truth of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not three truths. Jesus makes clear that there is complete unity of purpose and truth in the community of the Blessed Trinity. "Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he {the Spirit of Truth} reveals to you will be taken from what is mine." Are we ready for the Three in One Creator, a Triune community of Truth? No. And yet, Jesus has told us, the Spirit will guide us to truth and reveal the things to come. People get ready because, ready or not, the Spirit is with us. The Spirit of truth is here. Let us greet Him with open arms and prepared hearts. When the truth makes us the most uncomfortable, that is when we most need to implore the Holy Spirit to come to our aid. We can't handle the truth. Not by ourselves.
Holy Spirit, like the disciples we are often hardheaded, sometimes hardhearted. We want the truth but we still fear the truth. We beseech You to fill us with Your truth and give us the grace to accept it. Show us how to love as You, the Father and the Son love. Come Holy Spirit, fill us with your love, your truth and your light. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Mary, our Hope, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us. Amen.
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