A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 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. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."
REFLECTION: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”
God has made me curious for answers by nature. I often ask why something has occurred, what it means and how I am meant to respond to it.
As a young university student, I wanted to know “everything”. I formally studied the empirical sciences but also attended lunch time lectures in theology, signed up for summer courses in philosophy. I would dedicate personal time to research modern history, discover interesting music and read classical literature from different cultures around the world. The more I learned, the more questions I had.
Scientific and worldly knowledge are satisfying but it isn’t long until another question will arise and compels us to seek out greater knowledge. Through the years, I have come to realize that knowing is only useful when it is at the service of love or charity.
In 1958, a pediatrician, Dr Jérôme Lejeune, discovered the genetic link for Down Syndrome, an extra chromosome ie. Trisomy 21. Dr Lejeune was completely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the lives of his patients with Down Syndrome.The reality is that others have used this genetic discovery to discriminate against unborn children with Down Syndrome. When Dr Lejeune realized this, he became an even greater vocal advocate for those living with disability with the hope of protecting the dignity of all his patients. The cause for his beatification and canonization was opened in 2007.
The more we know, the more we are responsible for using what we know at the service of our home, community, church and society for the common good. We are called to use what we know to love well. How often have we experienced the “knowledge” of gossip which has broken families, weakened communities and destroyed the reputation of another? How often has academic knowledge of God threatened humility and a spirit of unity in members of the Church? When the good Lord allows us to exercise our capacity for knowledge, it is for a purpose, and one day we will have to answer for it.
