Our Lord begins today's Gospel by telling his disciples that he had much more to tell them,
but they cannot bear it now. And in unraveling the mystery of why he could not tell them,
we see the dignity that we have been raised. For because of their sorrow and their weakness of
mind and heart, they could not bear those deep and profound mysteries of the faith,
most especially that of the priesthood and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And so it ultimately
would be, our Lord could not tell them explicitly because of the fear that they were operating under
before his passion, death, and resurrection. But upon his resurrection and preparing the apostles
for his ascension on Pentecost, being filled with the Holy Spirit, they would truly come to know
that mystery that would be revealed through the apostle St. Thomas in his doubt,
that blessed are those who have not seen,
and yet still believe. And so we often don't reflect that any time we witness to the faith,
any time we speak of those profound mysteries, we do and maintain the virtue of charity,
we do so under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. And so being weak vessels,
we too, like the apostles, could not bear the things that the Lord wished to tell them about
his kingdom. All those marvelous mysteries,
of the sacramental life, and all the persecution that the church would receive, all the trials and
tribulations, both personal and those that come to us from the outside, all those victories over
our fallen nature and our evil tendencies, that grace to do all these things according to the
teachings of Christ is a grace communicated to us through the Holy Spirit. And so we are truly
strengthened. And so let us always be grateful,
that we, being weak vessels like the first disciples, could not bear what the Lord came
to teach either, unless we too, like them, were buoyed up by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
so that we may truly go forth in union with that apostolic mission to teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
that is, opening to all peoples and all lands the mysteries of Holy Mother Church,
most especially those mysteries of our salvation, which are known as the seven sacraments,
those most extraordinary things that the Lord has done for mankind, and has made the ordinary
means of each and every one of our salvation. And so, in times of trial, both personal and
trials and tribulations from outside, let us always remember that we are strengthened by the
Holy Spirit, so that we truly can maintain the strength of the Holy Spirit, and that we can
maintain the supernatural virtues of faith, hope, and charity at all times, always and everywhere,
cooperating with the mission that our Lord was sent by his Father to give to the world,
that mission that would culminate in his passion and death, and the establishment of Holy Mother
Church, the kingdom of mercy and forgiveness until the end of time. And outside of her,
there is only the wailing and the gnashing of teeth. And so, we truly have much,
much to be grateful for, for the Lord has revealed all these things to us, and the Holy Spirit
strengthens us in the exercise of them. And so, let us truly be aware that we can do nothing good
without the grace of God, because all goodness comes from God. And even if we were to do something
well and good, and did not give the credit to the grace of Almighty God, then we would only be
puffing ourselves up with pride.
For no man, whether he is a member of the mystical body or not, can do anything good without the
grace of God. And so, all goodness ultimately is traced to that mystery that our Lord is speaking
of here today, the mystery of the Church. For all graces, even those good things done by members
outside of the Church, in some way, are a response to a grace given to them through the mediation
of Holy Mother Church.
And so, let us always be thankful and gracious to our Lord and Savior, for having called us into
his kingdom, so that he may use us as vessels to, in some way, have an influence on all men,
all women, and all children, in all nations, in all times, throughout the history of mankind,
and most especially for us, for that moment in history in which the Lord has given us this life
in order that we may show ourselves worthy of the great mysteries of Holy Mother Church.
Let us always try to witness so that in some way we may draw all souls into that kingdom,
that kingdom of God's mercy, because it is the kingdom purchased for us by the shedding of the blood
of the Son of the Father that is the second person of the Blessed Trinity, and that mission of the Holy Spirit,
which is to convince us of all that the Lord has told us.
The primary mission that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in all souls
is to convince them by grace that Jesus Christ is truly the Lord, the King, the great high priest,
and that all he taught was truth.
And so, ultimately, the Holy Spirit tries to give us that faith which is held by St. Peter,
for we are truly guided by the Holy Spirit insofar as we are united with the faith of Peter,
that faith that he has in the priesthood, in the sacramental life,
and in all the mysteries that the Lord would unfold to them
before he would ascend to his Father's heavenly throne.
And then, by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
they would go out as courageous soldiers of Jesus Christ,
teaching all nations, admonishing those whom it was necessary to admonish,
and bringing to faith all souls at all times.
And so, this mission is perpetuated until the end of time
through the succession of all bishops and all the popes,
that succession that is rooted in the apostolic succession,
that succession is rooted in the establishment of our Lord.
That is, he himself established the sacred priesthood
because it is the selfsame priesthood of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and each and every Mass is the selfsame sacrifice of Calvary,
perpetuated mystically throughout the world until the end of time.
And so, the true light of the world is not the sun in the sky,
but the true light of the world,
is the Son of God,
who comes to each and every altar during the holy sacrifice of the Mass,
so that we may truly exercise that most profound of all mysteries.
What we cannot see with our senses,
we believe with our hearts and with our souls,
that it is the Lord, as St. Thomas declared,
it is the selfsame Lord who comes to us in order to strengthen us.
And when we respond to his graces,
we can do marvelous things for him,
things that in and of ourselves we could not possibly accomplish,
that is, even the slightest good.
But the Lord often raises many within the mystical bodies to do great good.
And so, let us prepare by doing all those small things that we can,
so that if the Lord calls on any member of the mystical body,
they may respond to the grace of the Holy Spirit
and witness to this most profound,
and greatest of all mysteries,
that Jesus Christ has established a kingdom
in which he reigns over it by his Eucharistic presence
until the end of time,
so that it is truly true what the Lord had said,
that he would not truly depart from us,
that he would be with us always and everywhere
until the end of time,
as our Lord, as our King,
and as our great High Priest.
And if we accomplish those mysteries,
that grace is to accomplish in us,
then we will again be united with the Lord,
with the Father in heaven and the Holy Spirit,
praising our good God with all the angels and saints
together for all eternity.
Amen.