Jesus Speaks of His Passion and Resurrection

A farewell is always heavy with emotion, mixed feelings of sadness and happiness for the person who is making a move; eg when a child leaves home for higher education, or  taking up a job, or at office, when colleagues move on. 

Jesus today is preparing his followers for accepting his moving away, to take up his cross and do his father’s will. Unless he goes away the Spirit/ Paraclete will not come to them, who will now be their Helper and Advocate. He assures them lovingly that his departure is imminent, but it will be for their good and for a short time. He consoles them with the assurance that he will return and their hearts will rejoice again at their re-union and these pangs of separation will be forgotten just like a woman who forgets about her painful labour, on seeing her child. 

The joy of the resurrection surpasses the sorrow of Jesus’s death, his final victory over death and evil. As we prepare for the feast of Pentecost, let us pray to the Holy Spirit for his abundant gifts and thank him for being our guide and counsellor.