Year C: Trinity Sunday

The Gospel: John 16: 12-15 

The Gospel Reading takes us back to the Last Discourse - the conversation that John sets around the time of the Last Supper.

The death of Jesus is looming large and He is all too aware of the inability of the disciples to understand it - in fact, their inability to understand much of what Jesus’ ministry was about.

The way ahead of the disciples will often seem dark. They will feel lost and confused. They will be afraid and doubt what they have heard. They will wonder what is true and what is fantasy. They will face bitter persecution and, as yet, cannot see why.

Here, Jesus gives them the promise of the Spirit of truth. They cannot understand what Jesus means yet - but the Spirit will lead them to a more complete understanding of what Jesus and His mission is about.

The Spirit He promises, though, is not something separate from Himself - but will come from the Father and Himself. All that the Spirit will say comes from the Father and from Jesus.

Yet again, Jesus speaks of the closeness of His relationship with the Father. As yet, the disciples see Him only as a charismatic teacher and possible Messiah. They have yet to realise that Jesus really is the Son of God and that the Spirit He speaks of really is the outpouring of love from the Father and Son.

As Jesus said - it would be too much for them yet - but one day, they will understand - and will discover the true glory of the one they knew as Jesus of Nazareth.

 What does it mean for me?

When have you found something that Jesus said hard to understand? When have you found that “the penny dropped” - as the Spirit led you to understanding?

      Text © 2007 Wellspring

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