grace through the doctrines and institutions of Christianity, has made us new men, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. The Church admonishes us, further, to walk worthy of this grace; to love God as our Father, to listen to His word willingly, without complaining when He chastises us, and to shun all impurity, anger, and multiplicity of words, in which " there shall not want sin " (Prov. x. 19).
Aspiration.
Help me, O God, to preserve the grace received in baptism; give me, therefore, a great love for Thy word. Deliver me from all inordinate passions, that I may walk worthy of Thee, purely and with patience.
GOSPEL. John xvi. 5-14.
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: I go to Him that sent Me; and none of you asketh Me: Whither goest Thou? But because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go: for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send Him to you. And when He is come, He will convince the world of sin, and of justice, and of judgment; of sin: because they believed not in Me. And of justice: because I go to the Father: and you shall see Me no longer. And of judgment: because the prince of this world is already judged. I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now. But when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will teach you all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but what things soever He shall hear, He shall speak, and the things that are to come He shall show you. He shall glorify Me: because He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it to you.
Why did Jesus say, " I go to My Father"?
To reprove His disciples for giving way to excessive sorrow over His departure, which was to be the means of purifying and strengthening their virtue, and of perfecting the work of redemption, for them and for all the world. Learn from this, not to give way to too much sorrow in adversity.
How has the Holy Ghost convinced the world of sin, of justice, and of judgment?
He has convinced the world, 1, of sin, by making the Jews
