Commentary on the Gospel of
The Kingdom is worth all the struggles
With today’s Gospel passage begins the third part of Jesus’ farewell discourse. Many scholars believe that the rest of the chapter repeats most of the points raised in Chapter 14. Although John presents Jesus’ farewell discourse as one long sermon at the Last Supper, it is possible that Jesus gave these teachings to his disciples after his resurrection.
Jesus is about to leave the scene, and the disciples’ hearts are filled with sadness. In him, they found new hopes and believed they would be in important positions in Jesus’ new kingdom. He also showed them mercy and understanding in the face of their weaknesses. With Jesus, they experienced the greatness of the heart - the love of God who loves us beyond all limits, beyond miseries. They had felt strong and capable of transforming the world with Jesus.
But now he is leaving. They will be left alone. Discouragement spread among them. What will they do? The leader disappears, and it seems that nothing makes sense anymore. It seems that the path they began with Jesus now leads nowhere and that it is better to return home. A feeling of failure overwhelms them.
But Jesus promises to send them his Spirit. The Spirit will give them strength and help them find their way. It would be childish to think the Holy Spirit would appear in an apparition and constantly tell them what to do.
God wants us to be adults, free and responsible for our own decisions. We are capable of taking risks and, of course, making mistakes and starting all over. God does not want us to remain eternal children who always need a hand to lead and guide. The Spirit is not there to tell us what to do in the next minute but to help us grow and make our own decisions. The Spirit illuminates the fraternity of God’s sons and daughters, where no one is excluded.
The Holy Spirit encourages us to make our own way, to make the decisions that will make this world the home of all God’s sons and daughters. The Spirit is not a small voice but a flame that sets our hearts on fire. It encourages us to grow and live in freedom at the service of the Kingdom. We will face difficulties but do not be discouraged because the Kingdom is worth all the struggles.
