Sixth Tuesday of Easter
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- Written by Fr. Wiseman Op
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“And My Word wished to say this when He said, 'I will send My Paraclete, who will reproach the world for injustice and false judgment.' Then it was reproached when I sent the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. There are three reproaches. The one was given when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, as was said. Fortified by My power, illuminated by the wisdom of My beloved Son, they all received everything in the fullness of the holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit, who is one with Me and with My Son, reproached the world, through the mouth of the disciples, with the teaching of My Truth. These and all the others who are descended from them, following the truth, which they understand through them, reproach the world. This is that continuous reproach which I made to the world with the means of the holy Scripture and of My servants, placing the Holy Spirit on their tongues to proclaim the truth, just as the devil sets himself upon the mouth of his servants… This is that gentle reproach set continually through the way described, through the tremendous affection of love which I have for the salvation of souls.” St. Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue, 35-36.
“But could not Christ have sent the Holy Spirit while He was still living in the flesh? He could have, because even at His baptism the holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove and never left Him. Indeed, from the instant of His conception He received the Spirit without measure. But Christ did not choose to give the Spirit to His disciples while He was still living …
First, they were not prepared, for carnal love is contrary to the Holy Spirit, since the Spirit is spiritual love. Now the disciples were affected by a certain carnal love for the human nature of Christ, without yet being elevated to a spiritual love of His divinity. And so they were not yet ready for the Holy Spirit.
Secondly, Christ did not give them the Spirit then because of the characteristic of divine help, which is to be especially present in times of need… Now as long as Christ was with them, He was all the help they needed. But when He left they were exposed to many tribulations, and so another consoler and helper was very quickly given them… (2088).
The Macedonians… say that the Holy Spirit is a creature and the minister of the Father and the Son. But if this were true, the coming of the Holy Spirit would not have been a sufficient consolation to the Apostles for Christ’s leaving them. It would be like the departure of a king, where the substitution for him of one of his ministers would not be a sufficient consolation. Thus, because the Holy Spirit is equal to the Son, our Lord consoles them by promising that the Spirit will come… (2089)
The Son left as far as concerns His bodily presence, but He came invisibly together with the Holy Spirit… (2090).
St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, Part II, trans. James A. Weisheipl, O.P. and Fabian Larcher, O.P. (Petersham, MA: St. Bede Publications), 436-437.
Daily Reflections