Breaking the Word

  "A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" So they said, "What is this 'little while' (of which he speaks)? We do not know what he means." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.  (Jn 16:16-20)

There is an important discussion on ‘a little while’. Probably this is one of ‘all the truths’ which the Spirit of Truth will reveal when he comes. Also the disciples are tired after a long discussion and the festive celebrations that they have had. So Jesus is not going to tell them everything now. Disciples have their own doubts about what Jesus was saying. All will be made clear.

The answer which Jesus gives seems to be interesting and revealing. ‘You will weep and mourn and the world will rejoice. Bur your grief will become joy’. Does Jesus mean by the statement ‘a little while’ the time of grief that he is talking about? Probably yes. The time of grief, that is the time of Jesus’ suffering and death is for a little while only. This grief will be turned to Joy (Resurrection).

So, whatever Jesus says, particularly during the last supper, to the disciples is about his death and resurrection. And whatever happens to the disciples is also linked to the life and mission of Jesus because they are his disciples. The grief and joy that the disciples are feeling are due the situation of Jesus. 

  "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. (Jn 16:12-15)

The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth. The work he does in today’s reading is to guide the disciples to all truth. What is ‘all truth’? Interestingly ‘all truth’ is described in the following word of the reading. ‘All truth’ is Jesus himself. Because, the Spirit of truth will take from Jesus and declare to the disciples. He will glorify Jesus. He will be also declare the things that will take place.

Everything that the Father has is mine says Jesus. Thus he links the Father and the Spirit with his life and work. All what Father has, belongs to Jesus and the Spirit will take from Jesus and declare it to the disciples. So, the works and the life of the three persons: The Father, The Son and The Spirit are inter-linked.

It is not that one has worked and the other has not. Of the three persons each one has a role to play and it is done to its perfection. Even though Jesus has not said everything to his disciples because they would not be able to bear it yet the work never remains undone. The work is completed by the Spirit. The work of the three persons seems to be complementary and yet it is total (all truth)