Readings: Acts 16: 11-15; Psalm 149; Jn 15:26-16:4 Jesus informs His disciples that “the Spirit of truth” will come and that the Spirit, as well as the disciples, will “testify” to Him. When Jesus first spoke these words to His disciples, they would not have comprehended what He meant. Since these words are prophetic in nature, they are words spoken that were to come to fulfillment and, then, once fulfilled, the words would be understood. So, what does Jesus mean?
When we look at the Acts of the Apostles and read about the early Church, it is clear that something incredibly transforming took place after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Up until that time, the disciples and other followers of Jesus had faith, but they were also fearful. They communicated with others who believed, but did so in secret and with fear. But as soon as Pentecost came, and the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, descended on them, the Apostles were used by God to powerfully proclaim the Gospel without fear and with great effect. It was this experience of the disciples, being filled with the Holy Spirit, to which Jesus was referring.
After Jesus died and ascended to Heaven, some of His disciples immediately concluded that the new movement Jesus started was now over. They could have never conceived that what Jesus started was only beginning. They could have never conceived of the fact that soon they would share in the beginning of the Church, proclaim the Gospel with courage and power, see the conversion of countless lives, witness the ongoing forgiveness of sins, and ultimately give their lives in imitation of our Lord. These disciples had no idea just what awaited them with the coming of the Spirit of Truth. What awaited them was their sharing in the ability to “testify” to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. They soon realized that Jesus was actually more alive than ever and that He was now going forth to convert peoples by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of all of His new disciples.
The same is true today. It is far too common for us to believe in Jesus, personally, but then fail to give wholehearted testimony to Him by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, to act more like the disciples prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit. Too often Christians keep the Gospel to themselves, fearful of giving testimony.
We pray that the Holy Spirit come into our hearts and make us instruments of His love. May Mary our Mother intercede for us true faith and openness to the Spirit. Blessings. Fr. Mussie