Acts 17:15, 22-18:1
Jn 16:12-15
There is only so much that people can learn at a certain stage of their lives. The great truths of life take a long time to absorb. This is certainly the case with the truths of our faith. We enter into those truths gradually, over time, with experience of life.
Jesus seems to acknowledge that in this morning’s gospel reading. He tells his disciples that he has many things to say to them but that they are not yet ready to hear them, ‘they would be too much for you now’.
Jesus declares that the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, who will be sent to them after Jesus’ death and resurrection, will begin to reveal these things to them and will lead them towards the complete truth. The Holy Spirit is given to us all to lead us to the complete truth, the truth about Jesus, God, our world, ourselves.
This is a life-long journey. Indeed, there is a sense in which we never attain the complete truth in this life. We are always on the way. We can never really afford to say, ‘I have the complete truth’. Rather, we must always leave ourselves open to being led by the Spirit ever more closely towards the complete truth, towards the one who said of himself, ‘I am the truth’. Amen.
Fr. John Peter
Kigoowa Parish.
