The Advocate

Homily for Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Eastertide

According to St. John, the disciples were bewildered and grief-stricken men. All they could  think about was that they were going to lose Jesus. However, Jesus told them that in the end, this was all for the best; because when he went away, the Holy Spirit, the helper, the advocate, would come.

As a man, he could not spend every moment with them or be everywhere with them; it was always a case of greetings and farewells. As a man, he could not reach the minds and hearts and consciences of people everywhere, he was confined by the limitations of place and time.

However, there are no such limitations in the Spirit. Everywhere one goes, the Spirit is there as well. The coming of the Spirit would be the fulfillment of the promise: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The Spirit would bring an uninterrupted fellowship with the entire human race forever; and would bring to the Christian power and effectiveness no matter where one was.

The Holy Spirit has been called by many names. However, today Jesus uses the term “advocate.” We should take this in the legal sense as every person brought to the bar has been given an advocate. The advocate speaks for, advises, and assists anyone who accepts the Holy Spirit in this life.

From now until the Feast of Pentecost, the Gospel readings will focus our attention on the Holy Spirit. This gift which proceeds from the Father and the Son is given to us through baptism and is renewed each and every time that we receive the Eucharist.