“I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord;
He will guide you to all truth”.
 
Friends,
 
     This Spirit of truth that the Lord speaks of is the Holy Spirit that lives with each and everyone of us who profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  In less than two weeks, we will be celebrating the glorious Feast of Pentecost which marks the sending of the Holy Spirit to all of mankind. 
     This Thursday we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord into heaven,  Jesus is about to leave His disciples but does not leave them orphans.  He sends them the Holy Spirit to guide, to direct, to lead and console them.  He is the Spirit of truth that you and I as Christians take consolation in.  God’s Holy Spirit helps us at all times in our lives but especially in times of stress and uncertainty.
      May we rest peacefully in these crazy times, confident and unafraid because the Lord is ever with us.
 
God Bless,
Father John
 
     In the Gospel, Jesus is getting ready to ascend to God the Father and obviously the disciples are saddened.  Why wouldn’t they be sad when this great man who walked among them doing so much good for all people is now about to leave.  But Jesus tells them and through them tells us that He will not abandon them.   He says that He will send them the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.  This Spirit will be with them forever to guide, support and strengthen them throughout their lives.   This very same Spirit abides with you and me today to support us in our time of  difficulty or trial.  This same Spirit will guide us to make the right choices and decisions in our lives, especially when those decisions are heavy on our hearts.  God’s Holy Spirit is here with us today to stir us and prompt us to lead holier lives.
     May we cooperate with the Lord’s Holy Spirit so that we may be acceptable in God’s eyes.