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.
The disciples were aware that something bad was going to happen to Jesus. In spite of their repeated refusal to comprehend, it seems that his repeated predictions of his passion did eventually begin to get through to them. But they couldn't bring themselves to face the reality head on. They ought, probably, to have asked Jesus why such a thing could happen to him, and in what way it was a part of the divine plan of providence. They obviously had no conception that it could be better that he go. But it was. What was the alternative, after all? They could live out their human lives in his presence, making the same sort of halting progress they always had, but without the inner transformation they needed. They could have continued to benefit from his presence, his friendship, and his wisdom, but not from the salvation he desired to give. That depended upon the cross, which was in fact the best way by which he could reveal the his and his Father's love for humanity.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
The Advocate would not come because he could not dwell in fallen unredeemed humanity. It was only after human nature had be refashioned and restored to the divine likeness by Jesus on the cross that it became a fitting temple for the Spirit. God had breathed life into Adam at creation. But the new creation needed Jesus to breath forth the Spirit to give it life. The fruitfulness of Adam was ordered to the natural procreation of offspring. But the fruitful of Jesus was the supernatural source of the Church. God brought forth Eve from the side of Adam, but he brought forth the Church from the wounded side of Christ. Jesus had always been filled with the Holy Spirit, and always capable of giving him without measure. But the only truly appropriate context for the gift was a result of the love he showed on the cross. It was a love that was revealed by being broken open so that rivers of living water could flow. It demonstrated that the Spirit was no ordinary gift, but the best that love could offer.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation
The Holy Spirit had previously made cameo appearances as he helped this or that individual to more deeply understand the identity of Jesus. But by coming to dwell in the Apostles he would unleash the missionary activity of the Gospel in a new way. Previously the world had believed that Jesus was a sinful criminal who received a just condemnation. But the Spirit would cause the words of the disciples to convince the world that the opposite was true. He would convict those who heard the Gospel preached so that they could receive the forgiveness of their sins and its result, righteousness before God. They would lead the world to realize that it need no longer remain in the tyrannical sway of the devil, since he had been condemned, and was no longer in control. This conviction sometimes came about in startling ways as we see with the prison guards from today's readings from Acts.
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
When we read that people were "cut to the heart" (see Acts 2:37) as a consequence of hearing the Gospel we can be sure that it was the Spirit doing his surgical work, beginning to turn old hearts of stone into new hearts of flesh.
Have we internalized the gift of the Spirit enough that we believe Jesus that his presence within us is better than the physical presence of Jesus in our midst would have been? No? Well, then it seems we all have room to grow. It can only mean there is more of this gift remaining to be appropriated and appreciated. This is good for us, since it will help us grow as disciples. And it is good for the world, which desperately needs the conviction of the Gospel that only the Spirit can give.
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