Today’s Gospel Text: They will put you out of
the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he
is offering service to God. 3 And they will do this
because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But
I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember
that I told you of them.
"I did not say these
things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him
who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said
these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless
I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not
go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to
you. 8 And when he comes, he will
convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because
they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness,
because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; 11 concerning judgment,
because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 "I
have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth
comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own
authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the
things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he
will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All
that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine
and declare it to you. John
16:2-15
Reflection: There
was a professor who taught the seminarians and even the laity in a
Archdiocese how the scripture was contradictory.
His
book was acknowledged by one of the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese.
Besides,
teaching that the scripture was contradictory and not to be relied on, he also
taught that scripture was not to be trusted and he asserted his point by
playing the game of Chinese whispers.
If
only he believed less in his foolish philosophy and more in the word, he would
not have led the many formed under him astray till this day. Nor have those in authority have realized the foolishness of these kind of erroneous teachings and withdrawn the book for formation of minds.
The greatest folly of humans has been to judge
God’s word or sit in judgment over God.
On
the other hand God gives his servants who are humble and turn to him the grace
of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to understand the mysteries of God because God
himself desires to reveal them to us his chosen ones.
If
there was no Holy Spirit then we mortals would keep judging what is immortal
with our standards and continue to crucify God in our midst. We would continue
to become the modern day Pharisees and Scribes.
They
always thought, to their best of their abilities, that they were the wisest,
smartest and cleverest and could do no wrong and by persecuting the obedient children
of God they were doing favor to God.
Are
they any different from the terrorist? No, except that they will not wield a
weapon of destruction and they will condemn the terrorist but will kill by
their stupid crass wisdom and by seeking the seat of power they will crush those below them.
Jesus
says of them: “And they will do this because
they have not known the Father, nor me.”
And
how will they know the Father or Jesus or his servants if they who have been
baptized in the Holy Spirit reject the Holy Spirit and now seek to walk by
sight.
Prayer: Teach
me O Lord to humbly submit to the working your Holy Spirit in my life.
DD = Dedicated
Discipleship: Come grow
in the Lord with us
