Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.
“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”
John 15:26-16:4a (NAB)
Prayer Reflection
The above picture came to mind when I read this mornings Gospel. Even though the picture is about the Cardinals pointing to the ceiling in the Cathedral. One could say the same in regard to this reading, look up to heaven that is where the Spirit of Truth comes from. We could also look upon our Pope as an Advocate sent from the Father. He speaks on behalf of Jesus and defends his cause, he is an advocat of peace. He is a person who pleads for or in behalf of another, he is an intercessor to God for us. The Holy Spirit works through him from the Father. Our Church suffers persecution and many are ousted from their misdeeds, and it reflects upon the Advocate who leads us in Truth. Many of us try to kill the Church because we are unhappy with ourselves rather than deal with our sinfulness and fix our brokeness. We are called to forgive, but grudges continue to mar the Church. In a sense the Church suffers from us not forgiving her for the errors that have nothing to do with us but only with those it was involved in. The Spirit of Truth speaks to us through the Advocate. Are we listening?
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