Memorial of Saints Nereus; Achilleus. and Pancras, Martyrs
Pancras by Lambert Sachs (1818–1903)
John 16:5-11
I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
What do the Fathers say?
St John CHRYSOSTOM. The disciples, not as yet perfected, being overcome by sorrow, our Lord blames and corrects them, saying, But now I go My way to Him that sent Me; and none of you asks Me, Where are you going?
They were so struck down at hearing that whosoever killed them would think that he was doing God service, that they could say nothing. Wherefore He adds, But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. It was no small consolation to them to know, that the Lord knew their superabundant sorrow, because of His leaving them, and because of the evils which they heard they were to suffer, but knew not whether they would suffer manfully.
St AUGUSTINE. Our Lord saw what effect His words would produce upon their minds. Not having yet that inward consolation which the Holy Spirit was to impart, they were afraid to lose the outward presence of Christ, and so, their human affections were saddened.
The presence of the Son of man amongst them would impede the coming of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit did not humble Himself as did the Son, by taking upon Himself the form of a servant.
It was necessary therefore that the form of the servant should he removed from their eyes; for as long as they looked upon that, they thought that Christ was no more than what they saw Him to be.
The Holy Spirit, the Comforter brought this, that the form of a servant which our Lord had received in the womb of the Virgin, being removed from their sight, He would be manifested to the purified mental vision in the very form of God in which He remained equal to the Father, even while He deigned to appear in the flesh.
It makes a great difference whether one believes in Christ, or only believes that He is Christ. For that He was Christ, even the devils believed: but he believes in Christ, who both hopes in Christ and loves Christ.
The devils seeing souls go from hell to heaven, knew that the prince of this world was judged, and being brought to trial in the Saviour’s cause, had lost all right to what he held. This was seen on our Saviour’s ascension, but was declared plainly and openly in the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples.
Sources:
Bible readings from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Second Catholic Edition, copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Quotes of the Fathers from Thomas Aquinas’ Catena Aurea Translated by St John Henry Newman
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