Occasionally people walk into our parish offices wanting desperately to talk to a Priest. When they get to talk to the priest or pastoral care person, they usually start speaking with broken sentences, sobbing in-between words and sentences: “… I am lost… I have gone too far… Nobody can save me…” They fear that they are condemned for eternity because they have lived for many years away from God and His Church. All of a sudden, when they look back into their past, they realize that they have been living a completely sinful life against many moral parameters. Adding to their woes, some may even be facing some serious health problems, which they read as a curse because of their sinfulness. Their main concern is whether God will forgive them and save them.
The main purpose of John writing his Gospel is to tell the people that Jesus is come bringing life from God, who is all-loving and merciful. John concludes his Gospel by reemphasizing whatever he has written until then: “But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is Messiah, the Son of God, and through your faith in Him you may have life” (20:31). Jesus does not promise just a little life, but life in abundance (10:10), and for eternity (3:16). Today’s scripture passage is very important, not just because He is promising us the Holy Spirit, but He is reaffirming the nature of His all-loving and forgiving Abba Father.
Jesus is promising us to send another advocate or paraclete. The word “advocate” means “defensive lawyer”, and “paraclete” means “one who stands beside the other in his defense”. Therefore, the advocate who is assured by Jesus is a guide, mediator, witness, comforter, teacher, the one who stands in defense, but not an accuser. Jesus being the first advocate, who died on behalf of our defense, now confirms that the second advocate, who comes from the Father, will also perform the same work of God – saving the people for God. Therefore, if someone believes in God and His Son Jesus Christ, will never perish (Jn 3:16).
God’s love is so immense that He always waits with extended hands for our return.
– Fr. Ranjan D’Sa OCD