Jesus promises those who keep His Commandments will receive the Holy Spirit and be loved by the Almighty Father. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Gift of Knowledge from the Holy Spirit so he can reject sin and grow in holiness and by seeking the Fruits of Peace and Joy so he can more effectively draw others to Jesus Christ.
Liturgy
6th Week of Easter – Sunday – Cycle A – Jn 14:15-21
Commentary
Jesus continues His Farewell Discourse (Jn 13:31-16:33) during Holy Week, preparing the Apostles for their mission after His departure. After revealing He and the Father are one, Jesus now reveals the coming of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who will dwell in in the souls of men who love Jesus.
Jesus prepares the Apostles for the shock of His Passion by telling them, in “a little while the world will see Me no more.” But Jesus promises the Apostles they will again see Him, for He lives within them, and will “manifest” Himself to them. For men to be blessed to have Jesus live within them, He reiterates, again and again, that those who love Him must keep His commandments (v. 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10).
To those who love Jesus and keep His commandments, Jesus will send the Holy Spirit so that men are not desolate after His departure. Calling the Holy Spirit, “The Counselor” (Advocate, Paraclete or “he who is called to one’s side”), Jesus reveals the Holy Spirit brings guidance to men for He is “the Spirit of truth” (of Jesus, for Jesus is “the truth”) who will be by men’s sides to help keep Jesus’ commandments. With God the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit will actually dwell in the souls of men, remaining with them forever; in this, Jesus reveals the truth of the indwelling Trinity. In an ominous warning, Jesus reveals to the Apostles that many men (the world) will not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for they do not know, or accept, Jesus.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be awed by Jesus, who is filled with Divine Knowledge, as He reveals the powerful and mysterious reality of the Trinity: God the Father, the Almighty, has Divine Charity, giving men the Son and the Holy Spirit; Jesus, the Son of the Father, comes to men, gives commandments, imitates the Father, and saves men from being spiritual orphans (children without a father); the Holy Spirit, the Advocate of the Truth, is given and dwells in the hearts and souls of men of good will who love Jesus.
Request, receive and use Knowledge from the Spirit
Realize: Though Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in the souls of the Baptized, for many men the Holy Spirit is elusive and hard to recognize in their lives; the great challenge on the path to holiness for every Catholic man is to recognize and strive to receive the many Gifts of the Holy Spirit which the Spirit stands ready to give him.
Believe: Build your understanding of the Holy Spirit (CCC 683-747).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Knowledge so I accept and use Your mysterious supernatural help and immediately know how to reject sin and grow in holiness in the myriad of choices I make in daily life.
Light the world with the peace and joy of Christ
Realize: As Jesus revealed, those who are lost in the “world” cannot receive life from Him and will never find lasting joy and peace; millions of men have rejected Jesus to pursue the fleeting pleasures of the world, resulting in a growing epidemic of despair, depression, and emptiness among men.
Believe: Renew your understanding of the Blessings of the Holy Spirit (CCC 736, 1830-1832).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Fruits of Peace and Joy so I can endure in suffering and that my peace and joy in Christ might be a light that draws many to Jesus and His Holy Catholic Church.