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Faith Reflection

John 16:12-15 - The Spirit will guide the Apostles to all truth.

In the Gospel of John, today’s reading appears as part of the rather lengthy Last Supper discourse that runs from chapter 13 to chapter 17. The discourse is a centrepiece of this particular gospel. In it, Jesus speaks a number of times about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The portion that makes up today’s reading comes from a slightly longer passage about the sending of the Spirit (16:4-15).

Throughout the Last Supper discourse, the Holy Spirit is identified as Gift and Love. The Spirit is the Gift that will be sent by the Father and by the Son so that the world may continue to experience the Love of the Father and the Son. In the discourse, Jesus calls on the disciples to love one another with the same love that they had experienced from him – the love of God. To assist the disciples to continue to love with the same love of God and Jesus, the Spirit is sent to them. The Holy Spirit is the lasting expression of the divine love that had previously been experienced through the Father and the Son. The discourse makes it very clear that the Spirit will continue the work of Jesus.

Today’s passage has Jesus saying to the disciples that there is still so much that he has to say to them, to teach them. But the disciples are not ready to receive everything in the time that Jesus has remaining. So to continue the teaching of Jesus and to continue the expression of Love, the Father and the Son will send the Spirit. It was the sending of the Spirit that we celebrated last week in the feast of Pentecost and it is the unity of Father, Son and Spirit that we celebrate this week in Trinity Sunday.

Historical Context – The Nicene Creed

The definitive statement of Christian belief is contained within the Nicene Creed that is proclaimed by the community in the Mass. It was developed by the Council of Nicea, held in 325, in response to a variety of teachings (some declared to be heresy) that were circulating at the time and the creed was further revised in 381. The creed declares that Jesus is ‘God from God, light from light, true God from true God … of one being with the Father’ and that the Holy Spirit ‘proceeds from the Father and the Son’. All of these statements seek to define the oneness of the Trinitarian God.

Have you thought? Spoken through the prophets

One Creedal statement about the Holy Spirit is that ‘He has spoken through the prophets’. This statement of Christian belief is to reaffirm that the Spirit has played a role throughout human history and did not ‘come into being’ at Pentecost. In fact, a translation of the opening lines of Genesis reads, ‘and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters’. Although the Old Testament emphasises God the Creator, or the Father, the gospels emphasise the role of Jesus, the Son and the New Testament writings emphasise the work of the Spirit, all three expressions of God’s loving presence are beyond the limits of time and place.

Living the Gospel – Trinity

Every time we make the sign of the cross we reaffirm our belief in a God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although some people have difficulties with the gender-specific language of ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ and look for other ways to express this reality, all Christian people profess a belief in the one God who is experienced in three distinct ways. We are baptised ‘in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ and we remind ourselves of this reality when we pray and when we bless ourselves or others.

By Greg Sunter 

Class Masses 

The Vibrant Parish Formation 

St John Vianney Parish is excited to invite you to our upcoming Vibrant Parish Formation Series – a dynamic journey designed to deepen our parish life.

Come for one Tuesday each month for engaging sessions featuring local and international guest speakers who will guide us in exploring the five essential characteristics of a vibrant parish:Worship • Evangelisation • Formation • Fellowship • Service

Session Dates (6:30 PM – 9:00 PM):

• Tuesday, 13th May
• Tuesday, 10th June
• Tuesday, 1st July
• Tuesday, 12th August
• Tuesday, 9th September

If you would like to attend, please contact the parish office at st.john.vianney.mulgrave@gmail.com 

Sacraments 2025 – Confirmation & First Holy Communion

St John Vianney Parish is preparing for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of First Holy Communion in 2025. 

Confirmation

📅 Sacrament of Confirmation: Sunday 17th August at 1:00 PM

First Holy Communion

📅 Information Sessions: Tuesday 5th August at 10:00 AM or 7:00 PM

📅 Sacrament of Holy Communion : 15-16 & 22- 23 November at 6pm and 10am