Knowing that his enemies are set to destroy him and everything that is to happen to him (Jn 18:4), Jesus says farewell to his disciples. In today's gospel reading, we hear Jesus say to his disciples that he will send the Holy Spirit to them from the Father.

The Holy Spirit is the anointing of Christ. Jesus the Christ is the Head of the Body and he communicates his Holy Spirit to the members of his Body. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a Paraclete. A Paraclete is someone called to accompany and defend us. The Holy Spirit is Christ's witness; and so are we, members of Christ's Church. When we preach the Gospel and suffer for Christ's sake, we can rest assured that the Holy Spirit is alongside us. The Holy Spirit also opens our hearts to pay attention to the Word of God, like Lydia listening to Paul preaching Christ, in today's first reading.

With God's grace let us pay attention to how the Holy Spirit nourishes, heals and works alongside each one of us, for the Church to bear witness to Christ throughout the whole world.