Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.And when [the Holy Spirit] comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.I am sometimes tempted by this reading to think that this means that no one had a conscience before this point in world history, but that would be a mistake because the Holy Spirit and the entire trinity, have been one God for all time, and have always been working in our lives. But it is true that after Jesus accends into Heaven, from that moment on, the Holy Spirit would be taking a much more prominent role in our lives.
God created the universe, and created a perfect Eden for us, but in our free will, we were weak and sinned. Then God became incarnate as man to show us the proper way to live, but we were unfaithful, and rejected and killed him, finally God comes in spirit, to convict our souls to live better lives, not because we are afraid but because the spirit speaks to a part of our soul that reflects Himself, and we know this voice is true.
This is the true point of conversion, when the spirit talks to our soul, and we listen because we know it is true because it is part of our very own nature. Our conscience knows it and we either accept it or reject it. The Holy Spirit is called the advocate, and the evil one is called the accuser. When you think about your conscience, which of the two are you listening to. Which of the two is most prominent in your lives. If it is the accuser, then you need to stop listening to him, and turn to the lord. Turn and your life will be forever changed.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, I pray today that the people of this world will stop listening to the accuser, and start believing the advocate.