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Chapters 14-16 of St John's Gospel gather together Jesus' farewell teaching. The text can appear to the average reader to be rather repetitive. So, for meditation purposes it can be helpful to distinguish different types of teaching in order to benefit spiritually from Jesus' words. Thus we may distinguish words of encouragement, promises, warnings, and then in a special way an elaboration of the promise of the Holy Spirit. Though this distinction between the different types of things which Jesus has to say to us is useful, yet we should not enforce it too rigidly on the text, for a single saying can function on different levels. Jesus' promises are also words of consolation and words of encouragement.
Chapters 14 and 16 are bound together by an opening saying in 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled; trust in God and trust in me", which is essentially repeated in the concluding saying 16:33 "In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world". We need never be distressed or fearful for Jesus, our Way, our Truth and our Life, is eternally our peace and so we can be brave in following him.
By the grace of Jesus' resurrection we can, in His peace, be brave in facing the world and its evils.
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DAILY OFFERING
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Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.
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PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
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INTENTION
That small farmers may receive a just reward for their precious labour.
Elaboration
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