THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter, 2022

Acts 16:22-34

Ps 138

John 16:5-11

Unless I go, the Advocate will not come

In the gospel reading this morning (Jn 16:5-11), Jesus tells the disciples that when the Advocate, the Holy Spirit comes, he will show the world how wrong it was about sin, about who was in the right, and about judgment. Those who were responsible for the death of Jesus concluded that Jesus must have been a sinner to have died in the way he did; his ignominious death showed that God had judged him. Therefore, those responsible for Jesus’ death thought that they were right to put this sinner to death. 

Jesus declares that the Holy Spirit will demonstrate that this unbelieving world is wrong in these assessments. Jesus was not a sinner; he was not judged by God; those who put him to death were not in the right. We see here the enormous disparity between God’s perception and human perception. The one whom God looked upon as a beloved Son, others looked upon as a sinner. The one who vindicated was considered judged or condemned by God. Those who saw themselves as in the right were judged by God to be completely in the wrong. 

Our perspective can be very wide of the mark. We need to keep growing into God’s perspective, to see as God sees, to judge as God judges. It is the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who gives us God’s perspective. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to see as God sees, to know as God knows, to understand as God understands, and to be wise in the way God is wise. That is why we desperately need the Holy Spirit to keep filling our hearts and our minds afresh. 

Let us pray: Lord, give me the courage of an apostle, to continue to do your will even in difficult situations. Amen.

+Remain blessed