Tuesday 6th Week of Easter A 2026

Gospel 

John 16:5-11

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.”

 

We can look at the Ascension of Jesus and not spend a lot of time dwelling on it. Perhaps celebrate the event as we should as we look in hindsight.

 

But for the disciples this was not viewed as a happy event but a moment of grief. I think we understand this grief well.  

 

A grief that causes us to doubt our readiness to move forward, maybe even a doubt whether we can even take the next step or face the next day that we see set before us.

A grief that tells us we will be alone in this life. That the one who was part of our life is no longer beside us. Maybe we are young and it is our first time living away from home.

Maybe it is when we lose a spouse who has been so close to us as being one with us and now, we feel like half a person.

We understand a grief that says this change or that change is too much for us.

When we have to move homes or locations or even jobs or state in life. As we get older we learn to let go of things that we can either no longer do or others do not want us to do. Our world gets smaller.

 

They felt all these things.

 

And Jesus tells them and us that we are not alone at all. The Holy Spirit will be with us. We just need to stay the course and on the path Jesus set for us.

It doesn’t take away the grief, but it does allow us peace and even joy in the middle of everything, because we know as we face change and loss and being alone, he is with us always.

 

Today we are called to stay on course and trust in the way with the Holy Spirit to guide us.

 

Keep the faith and hold tight. For nothing on this earth can take the peace away from us that Jesus provides for all who follow his way.