• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Gospel: John 16:5-14
Joh 16:5 But I told you not these things from the beginning, because I was with you. And now I go tohim that sent me, and none of you asketh me: Whither goest thou?Joh 16:6 But because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart.Joh 16:7 But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go. For if I go not, the Paraclete will notcome to you: but if I go, I will send him to you.Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will convince the world of sin and of justice and of judgment.Joh 16:9 Of sin: because they believed not in me.Joh 16:10 And of justice: because I go to the Father: and you shall see me no longer.Joh 16:11 And of judgment: because the prince of this world is already judged.Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now.Joh 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speakof himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak. And the things that are to come,he shall shew you.Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: because he shall receive of mine and shall shew it to you.
Please note that this post begins with a doctrinal summary of this Sunday's Mass, focusing onthe gift of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Father's greatest gift. The theme of joyis also touched upon. Following this there is a sermon on the Gospel from St Augustine. Toview my resources on the Epsitle Reading for this Sunday go HERE.
Sources of the liturgy: Introit, Ps 97:1-2- Epistle, James 1:17-21- Alleluia verses, Ps 117: 16 and Rom6:9- Gospel, John 16:5-14- Offertory, Ps 65: 1-2, 16- Communion John 16:8.In the liturgy of the
fourth Sunday after Easter
, we find mingled joy and sadness. The
 joy
appears inthe
Introit
, which is a canticle of triumph in honor of the great prodigy of the Resurrection, theremembrance of which fills the whole earth; in the verses of the
Alleluia
which speaks of theResurrection of Jesus as a definite victory gained over death; again this joy appears in the
offertory
which extols the advantages which this great miracle has obtained for Christian souls.On the other hand, we seem to see the
sadness
clouding the faces of the apostles when our Lord tellsthem that the moment approaches in which He must leave them. His words recorded in the
Gospel
for this Sunday were spoken on Holy Thursday, the eve of His Passion, but they find a suitable place hereon the eve of the Ascension.Our Lord consoled His apostles in their sorrow by showing them the
benefits
which would result
fromHis leaving them
, namely, the sending of the Holy Ghost upon this earth; the judgment andcondemnation of the world by the Spirit of God; and the teaching of all thee truth by this same Spirit.In order that the mission of the Holy Ghost might be fulfilled amongst us, it was necessary that JesusChrist should go away. We must here remark that th external operations of the three divine Personssucceed each other in time, conformably to the order of the processions in the divine essence: as theSon proceeds from the Father, and the work of Redemption succeeds the work of creation, the former  being assigned to the Son, and the latter to the Father; so the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father andthe Son, and the work of Sanctification, assigned to the Holy Ghost, succeeds the work of Redemption.The mission of the Holy Ghost, whose coming amongst us could not be effected until our divine Lordhad left this earth, was to condemn the world on account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; of theinjustice committed by those who refuse to believe the Gospel; and because of the judgment pronounced against the devil and on all those who follow him in his revolt. The invisible presence of 
 
the Holy Ghost will bring forth in the full light of this condemnation, and thereby render testimony tothe divine mission of our Lord.Our Lord tells us that when the Holy Ghost has come, He will teach men all truth. No doubt our Lordhad revealed to man all that is necessary for salvation But before the coming of the Holy Ghost, thisrevelation was not understood, even by the Apostles. It was necessary therefore, that He should cometo give the explanation, Thus it is that His mission was but the continuation and the development of thework of Jesus Christ. The Church is so anxious that this doctrine should be impressed on us that shegives utterance to it twice in the Mass of the fourth Sunday after Easter-in the Gospel and in theCommunion.The
Epistle
still further enlightens us as to the mission of the Holy Ghost. In telling us that every bestgift, and every perfect gift is from above and descends from the Father of lights, the Apostle, St James,intimates to us that the Holy Ghost is sent not only by God the Son as indicated in the Gospel, but also by God the Father, for the Holy Spirit is pre-eminently and above all the gift of God.In the
Collect
the Church asks for her children that in mind, in will and in heart they may be all unitedin aspiring to the joys of heaven. In the
Secret
she implores God that through the admirable exchangerealized in the Sacrifice we may all participate in supernatural life. Finally, in the
Postcommunion
, theChurch prays that we may receive the grace which will purify our souls from all stain of sin, and thatstrength which will protect us from all dangers.
~Le Catechisme Liturgique, by Dom Desire Camille Leduc
Gospel: John 16:5-14
Joh 16:5 But I told you not these things from the beginning, because I was with you. And now I go tohim that sent me, and none of you asketh me: Whither goest thou?Joh 16:6 But because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart.Joh 16:7 But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go. For if I go not, the Paraclete will notcome to you: but if I go, I will send him to you.Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will convince the world of sin and of justice and of judgment.Joh 16:9 Of sin: because they believed not in me.Joh 16:10 And of justice: because I go to the Father: and you shall see me no longer.Joh 16:11 And of judgment: because the prince of this world is already judged.Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now.Joh 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak. And the things that are to come, he shallshew you.Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: because he shall receive of mine and shall shew it to you.1. When the Lord Jesus had foretold His disciples the persecutions they would have to suffer after Hisdeparture, He went on to say: "And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I waswith you; but now I go my way to Him that sent me." And here the first thing we have to look at is,whether He had not previously foretold them of the sufferings that were to come. And the three other evangelists make it sufficiently clear that He had uttered such predictions prior to the approach of thesupper:1 which was over, according to John, when He spake, and added, "And these things I said notunto you at the beginning, because I was with you." Are we, then, to settle such a question in this way,that they, too, tell us that He was near His passion when He said these things? Then it was not when Hewas with them at the beginning that He so spake, for He was on the very eve of departing, and proceeding to the Father: and so also, even according to these evangelists, it is strictly true what is heresaid, "And these things I said not unto you at the beginning." But what are we to do with the credibilityof the Gospel according to Matthew, who relates that such announcements were made to them by the
 
Lord, not only when He was on the eve of sitting down with His disciples to the passover supper, butalso at the beginning, when the twelve apostles are for the first time expressed by name, and sent forthon the work of God?2 What, then, is the meaning of what He says here, "And these things I said notunto you at the beginning, because I was with you;" but that what He says here of the Holy Spirit whowas to come to them, and to bear witness, when they should have such ills to endure, this He said notunto them at the beginning, because He was with themselves?2. The Comforter then, or Advocate (for both form the interpretation of the Greek word, paraclète), had become necessary on Christ's departure: and therefore He had not spoken of Him at the beginning,when He was with them, because His own presence was their comfort; but on the eve of His owndeparture it behoved Him to speak of His coming, by whom it would be brought about that with loveshed abroad in their hearts they would preach the word of God with all boldness; and with Himinwardly bearing witness with them of Christ, they also should bear witness, and feel it to be no causeof stumbling when their Jewish enemies put them out of the synagogues, and slew them, with thethought that they were doing God service; because the charity beareth all things, which was to be shedabroad in their hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this, therefore, is the whole meaning to be found,that He was to make them His martyrs, that is, His witnesses through the Holy Spirit; so that by Hiseffectual working within them, they would endure the hardships of all kinds of persecution, and, setaglow at that divine fire, lose none of their warmth in the love of preaching. "These things," therefore,He says, "have I told you, that, when their time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them" (ver. 4). These things, I say, I have told you, not merely because ye shall have to endure suchthings, but because, when the Comforter is come, He shall bear witness of me, that ye may not keepthem back through fear, and by whom ye yourselves shall also be enabled to bear witness. "And thesethings I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you," and I myself was your comfortthrough my bodily presence exhibited to your human senses, and which, as infants, ye were able tocomprehend.3."But now I go my way to Him that sent me; and none of you," He says, "asketh me, Whither goestThou?" He means that His departure would be such that none would ask Him of that which they shouldsee taking place in broad daylight before their eyes: for previously to this they had asked Him whither He was going, and had been answered that He was going whither they themselves could not then come. Now, however, He promises that He will go away in such a manner that none of them shall ask Himwhither He goes. For a cloud received Him when He ascended up from their side; and of His going intoheaven they made no verbal inquiry, but had ocular evidence.4. "But because I have said these things unto you," He adds, "sorrow hath filled your heart." He saw,indeed, what effect these words of His were producing in their hearts; for having not yet within themthe spiritual consolation, which they were afterwards to have by the Holy Spirit, what they still sawobjectively in Christ they were afraid of losing; and because they could have no doubt they were aboutto lose Him whose announcements were always true, their human feelings were saddened, becausetheir carnal view of Him was to be left a blank. But He knew what was most expedient for them, because that inward sight, wherewith the Holy Spirit was yet to comfort them, was undoubtedlysuperior; not by bringing a human body into the bodies of those who saw, but by infusing Himself intothe hearts of those who believed. And then He adds, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedientfor you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I willsend Him unto you:" as if He had said, It is expedient for you that this form of a servant be taken awayfrom you; as the Word made indeed flesh I dwell among you; but I would not that ye should continue tolove me carnally, and, content with such milk, desire to remain infants always. "It is expedient for youthat I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you." If I withdraw not the tender nutriment wherewith I have nourished you, ye will acquire no keen relish of solid food; if ye adhere in
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...