Morning Prayer

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences – Invocation of the Holy Spirit

Most powerful Holy Spirit, come down upon us and subdue us.

From heaven, where the ordinary is made glorious, and glory seems but ordinary, bathe us with the brilliance of Your light like dew.

Morning reading

John 16:5-15 ESV:

“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, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Reflections:

When the Paraclete does come he will continue the work of revelation begun in Jesus, both his judgment of the world and the revelation of God to the disciples.

judgement of the world

+ Sin: the world is wrong about sin because it does not believe in Jesus. The opponents had condemned Jesus as a sinner, which is both explicitly stated and implicit in all their accusations. But they are really the ones who are guilty before God, because the work of God is to believe in the one whom he sent and rejecting Jesus is the most basic sin.

+ Righteousness: the world is wrong about righteousness because Jesus is going to the Father. The word righteousness probably includes its sense of “justice.” His opponents did not judge with right judgment, and this is seen especially in their condemnation of Jesus for his claim to be God’s Son. Jesus’ return to the Father will expose their justice as unjust.

+ Judgement: the world is wrong about judgment because the prince of this world now stands condemned. The opponents had condemned Jesus, but the Paraclete will reveal that it was the evil one who was judged and condemned at Jesus’ glorification. This judgment in turn condemns the world itself, since they have the devil for a father.

“Sin is rejecting Jesus; justice is what God has done for Jesus; judgment is what Jesus has accomplished already by his death” (Michaels).

new witness

The Paraclete exposes these realities to the disciples and to the world itself through the disciples. This witness will be through oral and written proclamation, of which this Gospel is itself a supreme example. But the primary witness will be in the quality of life that the Paraclete produces within the community as the new birth brings them into union with God.

+ Sin: faith in Jesus brings a new freedom from sin, though not sinlessness apart from the cleansing of Jesus’ blood.

+ Righteousness: they are able to live the pattern of righteousness and justice that was present in Jesus because they have his Spirit, which he sent to them after his return to the Father. The world may not see Jesus, but the disciples continue to be close to him.

+ Victory: the defeat of the evil one by Jesus is now evident in the lives of his disciples, who also overcome the evil one.

+ Love and Unity: More generally speaking, it is primarily the community’s life together that witnesses to Jesus and, by the same token, exposes and condemns the world, in particular by their love and unity. Such love and unity reveal that they are sharing in God’s own life, and, consequently, their rejection and persecution show that the opponents are acting against God. The very judgment that Jesus brought into the world continues through his disciples and elicits the same hatred.

all the truth

When the revelation is complete (namely the crucifixion and resurrection and ascension of Jesus) and when they do receive the Paraclete, he will guide them into all the truth that is in Jesus, which means all the truth of the Father. The Spirit will focus on the Son, who is focusing on the Father. Jesus’ staggering claim to have complete knowledge of God is the foundation for the Christian claim that Jesus is the unique and only way to the Father. But how are we mere mortals to appropriate such knowledge of God? Jesus provides the way by sending the Spirit of God. The “all” of Jesus’ revelation is matched by the “all” of the Paraclete’s instruction, an instruction that is not merely cerebral, but that involves a sharing of the very life of God.

Jesus’ promise is not of new revelation but of insight into the one revelation found in him. Any such new teaching must, however, be true to the revelation received in Jesus. The flower will continue to unfold, but it must be the same flower — the genetic code must be the same. The Scriptures, including the apostolic witness of the New Testament, has been the touchstone for this continuity throughout the life of the church. Indeed, the present passage speaks primarily of that apostolic witness, since Jesus is promising this work of the Paraclete to those who have been with him from the beginning, whom the Paraclete can remind of what Jesus has done and said.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

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Canticle:

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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Peanut Gallery: A brief word of explanation – the general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) The Scripture readings are primarily from the Gospel of John, with the intent to complete the reading by Easter. Other Scriptures which illuminate the Gospel of John will be included along the way.

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.