Reflect on the Advocate

Today’s readings reveal the transforming power of faith in adversity. Paul and Silas, imprisoned in Philippi, sing hymns at midnight and witness a miraculous earthquake that leads to the jailer’s conversion. Jesus promises the Advocate who will guide and convict the world, while the Psalmist gives thanks for God’s faithfulness in times of trouble.

Consider where the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, is inviting you to trust more deeply today.

That is a beautiful question, one that touches on a profound mystery of our faith. In John 16:7, Jesus tells His disciples that it is to their advantage that He go away, for if He does not go, the Advocate will not come to them. Jesus' departure, His Ascension into heaven, was necessary for the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Counselor. This meant a new, more intimate presence of God within believers and throughout the Church. The Holy Spirit empowers us, guides us into all truth, and convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment, as we hear in today's Gospel reading. This indwelling of the Spirit allows for a deeper and more universal experience of God's presence than Jesus' physical presence on earth could provide. The Catechism speaks of this in paragraph 737, noting how the Spirit unites us to Christ and makes us partakers in His divine life.