Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 11, 2021
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.”
This reading from the Gospel of John comes from Jesus’ discourse to his disciples as he prepares for his crucifixion in Jerusalem. It is meaningful for us, now in the Easter season, because we are preparing to celebrate Jesus’ Ascension this Sunday and then Pentecost the following Sunday. In this brief passage, Jesus tells us that he is departing from us (as he does in the Ascension) and sending the Advocate in his place (as he does at Pentecost).
The Ascension is always a conflicted celebration for me. Jesus became human and he died for us; then, he came back through his resurrection, only to leave us once again. I imagine Mary Magdalene holding on to him shortly after the resurrection. Jesus says to her: “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.” (Jn 20:17) Like Mary Magdalene, I want to hold on to Jesus, too. But in this gospel, Jesus tells us, “it is better for you that I go.”
Unless he goes, he cannot send us the Holy Spirit, “the Advocate.” But this seems like little comfort in this reading because the Advocate comes to “convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation.” This is a fearsome description, but it only tells us that the Holy Spirit continues the work that Jesus began. We, as the Church, need to be convicted by the Spirit.
For me, it is helpful to note that the Greek word for the Holy Spirit, parakletos, can be translated not only as “Advocate” but also “Comforter.” As we wait in hope for Jesus to come again in glory, let us remember that the Advocate he sends in his place is also a Comforter for us on our journey to God.
Prayer
Jesus, you tell us that the ruler of the world has no power over you. Oh, to have that freedom! We are too enslaved by appearances and the expectations of others. It wears down our spirits. Loving God our Father, doing God’s will, and knowing that we are beloved of you and the Father—ah—there is true peace. May we have more of your peace and less of the world’s in our lives. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Francis di Girolamo was tireless in working to convert sinners and reaching out to the poor, winning many people to greater faith. He is known as the Apostle to Naples because that is where he spent most of his time and energy.
He was born in Italy in 1642, the eldest of 11 children. After making his first Communion at the age of 12, he went to live with a community of priests in his town. They could clearly see that he was special, and began to entrust to him greater roles in the congregation, including teaching the catechism.
Francis went to Naples to study civil and canon law, and was ordained a priest there in 1666 (he had to receive special permission because at 24, he was too young). He taught at a Jesuit university in Naples for five years and students there began to refer to him as “the holy priest.”
He decided to join the Jesuit order, and his superiors tested him with many difficulties. He impressed everyone, however, and was sent to do mission work with a famous preacher. He then returned to Naples and finished his education and was appointed to a church there.
Francis desperately wanted to travel to Japan as a missionary—reports stated that every missionary who landed there was killed. It was decided, though, that he should remain in Naples, so he began to train other missionaries.
Large crowds gathered to hear him preach, and many people sought him out for confession. Miracles and wonders were reported from his intercession. Some estimate that he converted 400 sinners each year. He regularly visited the sick in hospitals and the imprisoned, including those waiting for execution. He was fearless in pursuing sinners even on their own territory in places of ill repute—and he was beaten up a number of times for his efforts.
Sometimes he would feel a spontaneous urge to begin preaching in the middle of the street. One night, in the middle of a storm, he felt called to begin preaching to an empty, dark alley. The next day, a sinner came to his confessional who had heard him through an open window.
The most famous sinner he converted was a French woman who killed her father and fled to Spain, where she dressed as a man and enlisted in the army. She sought direction from Francis, and not only repented from her sins but also went on to become known as a holy woman.
St. Francis di Girolamo died at the age of 74, and his relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Francis di Girolamo, you relentlessly sought out sinners on their own turf and won many to the faith—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Francis di Girolamo is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed March 6, 2025.