READ
JN 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
Click here to read the rest of the Gospel.
UNDERSTAND
by Father Greg Friedman, OFM
We’re told that the great Saint Augustine was once walking along the seashore trying to figure out the mystery of the Trinity. He came upon a child filling a hole with bucket after bucket of water from the ocean. “You can’t empty the whole ocean into that hole,” the saint laughed. Looking at the learned Augustine the child replied, “And neither can you ever completely understand the mystery of the Trinity.”
Today’s feast invites us to reflect on one of the most profound truths of our faith—that God is three and one. Three equal persons–one God. If even Saint Augustine couldn’t exhaust that mystery in thousands of words—what can I hope to do in just ninety seconds?
Perhaps we can allow our Sunday Gospel to instruct us: Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us what we need to know. The Spirit, Jesus says, works in union with Jesus and with the Father. These words come from Jesus’ discourse at the Last Supper, when the disciples were troubled about their future. The Lord wanted to console them, that he and the Father would remain present to them through the working of the Spirit. There is consolation in those words for us as well, as we face the fears and questions of our time in the Church and in the world.
DISCUSS
by Father Dan Kroger, OFM
- Who is speaking in this first reading from the book of Proverbs?
Who had wisdom before the creation of the world and all that is in it?
Wisdom says, “I found delight in the human race.” What does that mean to you?
- In the second reading, St. Paul says “we even boast (brag about) our afflictions.” Why does he say that?
Have you ever heard the saying, “No pain, no gain”? Do you find that difficulties and suffering lead to gains or personal growth?
- In this week’s Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples that he has much more to tell them, but that they could not bear it just before he was to suffer and die. So he tells them that “the Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth.” Does that make any sense to you? Can you understand what Jesus was saying?
Jesus tells the disciples not to worry because the Holy Spirit will teach the all that they need to know about the “things that are coming.”
ACT
by Susan Hines-Brigger
- A big part of both our faith and family lives are made up of the stories we hear and tell. Ask your grandparents or parents to tell you some stories from their lives. Better yet, interview a friend or family member about something you want to learn more about. For instance, ask him or her to describe what it was like to grow up in the time that he or she did. Or perhaps someone you know served in the military. Ask that person what it was like and how it affected his or her life.
- Write your own story as if someone was asking you to tell him or her about your life. Write about things that you would like people to learn from you.
