May 23, 2017

Gospel: Jn 16:5-11
Jesus said to his disciples: ”But now I am going to the One who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief, because of what I have said.
”Believe me, it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you, and when he comes, he will vindicate the truth before a sinful world; and he will vindicate the paths of righteousness and justice.
”What is the world‘s sin, in regard to me? Disbelief. What is the path of righteousness? It is the path I walk, by which I go to the Father; and you shall see me no more. What is the path of justice? It is the path on which the prince of this world will always stand condemned.”

REFLECTION:
The earth is not the end of our destination but the starting point of our journey. That is why Jesus could not stay on earth forever. He has to move on in order to complete His itinerary. He has to go back to His Father in heaven, back where it all begun. It is back to the Father who sent His only Son to the world to redeem it. But His disciples could not even ask Him where He is going. They were locked up in their grief. They focused on their loss and not on what they could gain when Jesus continues on in His journey.
It‘s funny that sometimes we focus on the drama rather than on the bigger picture. We so like to wallow in tears and self-pity. But Jesus will have none of it. The role of the Spirit will not unfold in human history if He stays. And so, there are things that need to be done no matter what the cost because it will usher something that will be for the greater good. Drama is good, but we need a certain dose of reality sometimes.