Daily Retreat 05/23/06

2006 May 23 Tue: Easter Weekday

Acts 16: 22-34/ Ps 137(138): 1-2ab. 2cde-3. 7c-8/ Jn 16: 5-11

From today’s readings: "He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.... In the presence of the angels I will sing Your praise; I will worship at Your holy temple, and give thanks to Your name.... But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you."

Overturning the World’s Judgment

Having spent three years in daily communion with Jesus, the apostles must indeed have been filled with sadness at the idea that their Lord would be leaving them. And yet, Jesus insisted that it was better for Him to go, for His departure would not mean the absence of divine presence in their lives, but rather, His return to Heaven would be the catalyst for the sending of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit would disseminate and amplify the experience of God’s presence!

Moreover, the Advocate would completely reverse the world’s judgment on Jesus "in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation." For the world impugned Jesus as a sinful blasphemer and insurrectionist, but the works of the Holy Spirit testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so, the sin is found among those who stubbornly refuse to believe in Him. And the world maintained that righteousness demanded the conviction of Jesus, but the Resurrection and Ascension certifies instead the perfect righteousness of Jesus. And while the world condemned Jesus, the divine and definitive judgment instead establishes the eternal condemnation of the diabolic ruler of the world.

In other words, the world’s judgment and view of things is, in the end, only transitory, even when that seems momentarily so daunting and entrenched. But since God’s judgment and view is eternal and ultimate, we Christians are reminded to adopt only the divine criteria as the guiding standard for our lives!