FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
ON THE TRIUNE GOD
(Part 14)
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
June 12, 2022
Today’s gospel: John 16:12-15
What is the Father’s is the Son’s. “Everything that the Father has is mine” (v.15a). Indeed, the Father and the Son are one. Now there is a third Person of the Holy Trinity, and that is the Holy Spirit. Who/what is He? He is “the Spirit of truth” (v.13a). What is He to do? “He will guide you to all truth.” (v.13b).
We know that Jesus is the Truth. Thus the Spirit guides us to Jesus. Then the Spirit also tells us or reminds us or explains to us what is the truth of and about God. He guides us to what is true in the spiritual realm. He hears everything said between the Father and the Son, and to us “he will speak what he hears” (v.13c). Then He “will declare to you the things that are coming.” (v.13d). This is not about new predictions about the future, but the explanation of what Jesus has already revealed to his disciples. Indeed, the Christian life is a continuing revelation of the workings of God among His people.
Jesus taught us a lot when he walked on the earth. But he also says, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” (v.12). Talk of spiritual overload! And of course, with our finite minds, how can we grasp the fullness of the infinite mind of God? Thus Jesus sent us his Spirit, who continues to instruct and guide us with regards to the ways and teachings of Jesus. Today, after two millennia, after many saints, theologians, pastors and teachers, we still cannot completely grasp the fullness of God. That will only happen when we are with God in heaven. In the meantime, we look to the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Tragically, even some hierarchs in our Church today are overturning some of the truths that Jesus taught. One way we recognize truth versus falsehood, whether from the Holy Spirit or the evil one, is seeing who is being glorified. With modernists, man is at the center and it is man who is glorified. With the Holy Spirit, Jesus says “He will glorify me” (v.14a). Modernists look to man at the expense of the righteousness of God. They do not speak divine truth. They are not led by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus when he takes what is authentically from Jesus and declares it to us (v.14b-15). The Holy Spirit teaches us truth according to the mind of Christ. What is the ultimate benchmark? It is sanctification. Thus it cannot be the fruit of the teachings of modernist hierarchs, which fruits are such abominations as acceptance of homosexuality and disrespect for the Eucharist.
