This Sunday's gospel is one of the Scriptural basis of this dogma. It is part of the "farewell discourse" of Jesus during the Last Supper when Jesus assures his disciples that He will continue to be with them -- not physically, but in a more profound and spiritual way.
There are three promises made in the gospel passage:
1. The sending of the Spirit - The spirit is referred to as an "advocate" which is a legalese term referring to a "resource person" who is called at the side of an accused to help the latter in his defense. The disciples were anxious and fearful; Jesus reassures them that His presence will continue but now in the form of the Spirit.
2. The return of Jesus - This does not necessarily mean the physical return of Jesus but the return of His presence in a more profound way through an "indwelling" in his disciples: "He (referring to the Spirit) remains with you and will be in you." Further, the verse "you will see me" refers to a spiritual vision made possible by the eyes of faith.
The continuing presence of Jesus (this time through the Spirit) demands the continuing presence of a love relationship with Jesus and with one another. This kind of love is not just a feeling, but an active kind of love based on carrying out Jesus message and His commandments.
3. Jesus' unity with the Father - The evangelist John reenforces a common theme in his gospel -- that Jesus and the Father are one, and that they "act" together. Loving Jesus is loving the Father, which results to the love of the Father bestowed upon them.
Want to know more about the Holy Trinity and how to explain it to others? Click here.
Other Trivia:
- During biblical times, the word "orphans" is also used to refer to disciples whose master has died.
References:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 191-194.
- James McPolin, SJ, John (Pasay: Daughters of St. Paul, 1988), pp. 199-201.
-----
John 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
No comments:
Post a Comment