Jesus said to his disciples: "Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned."
REFLECTION
'Where are you going?' But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go."
Why must Jesus leave the disciples? Jesus is preparing them for a radical change in His presence with them. He will be with them in a new way. Not in a physical sense will He be with them, but in a spiritual presence.
He must leave them so that the Holy Spirit will enter into them and give them the courage, clarify their understanding of Jesus' purpose of dying and rising, and show them that sin is the downfall of humanity.
The Holy Spirit will be God's voice to guide them and encourage them in spreading the Good News of Jesus' redemption of humanity. Their witness will mean a complete surrender to the Holy Spirit within them.
What does Jesus mean, "condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned"? The Holy Spirit will expose Satan, as their spiritual enemy whom God has judged and convicted. Therefore, the Holy Spirit will help them identify the evils of Satan, so that his tricks will not fool them.
Jesus must go. He must leave so that the transition of His physical presence allows an interior spiritual presence to exist in the disciples, and into us in the future.
Let us pray for all priests to accept the Holy Spirit and to preach His message of Truth.
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