Friday, August 18, 2017

The Spirit of Truth, the Advocate


“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (Jn 16: 13)

The sixteenth chapter of the Fourth Gospel depicts the work of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate. Before Jesus enters into his Hour of passion, death, and resurrection through which he will be glorified, he consoles the disciples by promising the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth. Paraclete means consoler, helper, encourager or comforter. Jesus promises the spirit of truth to be with them forever to continue the divine mission revealed by him. The history of the Church shows that the accompaniment of the advocate empowered the disciples to meet the challenges and persecutions of the early century and to remain faithful to the abiding relationship with the lord till the last moment of their lives.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”(Jn 1:14) God himself tabernacle or dwelt among us. God pitched his tent among us. In the OT, we see people went to tent to meet God. A reflective reading of Nathanael meeting Jesus would enlighten us to understand that Jesus is the new Bethel, the house of God, where we can worship God.  (Jn 1:51) After the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus presented himself as the new temple where people can worship God. John is offering a new place of worship for the people who lost their place of worship, i.e. the Synagogue. Through Paraclete, we are invited to meet Jesus, the new tent, the new Bethel and the new temple where we can worship God. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.” (Jn 4:23-24) Paraclete is the guiding force who will make us true worshipers.

John presents the spirit as the rivers of life-giving water also. The flowing out of blood and water from the side of Jesus could be seen as the source of the sacraments.  This could also be reflected as the symbolic expression of the pouring out of the spirit. All these passages underline the central theme of our reflection on Paraclete. Jesus very clearly promises that Paraclete will lead us into all the truth and he would declare to us even those things that are to come. The Holy Spirit enables the believers to experience and remain in the active presence of the risen lord. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, no one can live out the Christian faith. The most wonderful promise of Jesus Christ to His disciples was the promise of the Holy Spirit, the advocate. Jesus wanted his followers to be clothed with the power from high, that is, with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus offers us the same spirit which was instrumental in the creation, incarnation, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. The promise of Paraclete enables us to meet the new tent, the new Bethel, the new temple, Jesus, where we can meet and worship God so that we may be true worshipers who worship God in Spirit and truth.

Love, 
Augustine Mlavarayil CMI
Image Courtesy: https://www.fromtheabbey.com/keys-courtyard-christian-vocation/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-empower-our-adventure-gift-of-fear-of-the-lord/  

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