The Season of Easter concludes with today’s celebration, the Feast of Pentecost. On Pentecost we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem; this event marks the beginning of the Church. The story of Pentecost is found in the Acts of the Apostles, today’s first reading. The passage for today’s Gospel, John 20:19-23, also recounts how Jesus gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Yet the event in John’s Gospel takes place on Easter Sunday. There is no need to try to reconcile these two accounts. The Evangelists and the authors of letters were writing for different audiences or faith communities. Time, dates, witness sources and the situations varied. The core truth of the narrative remains. It enough that we know that after his death, Jesus fulfilled his promise to send to his disciples a helper, an advocate, who would enable them to be his witnesses throughout the world.
Although year A is devoted mostly to the Gospel of Matthew, for the entire Easter season, nearly all the Gospel readings have been from the Gospel of John. Today for the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord, we return to the Gospel of Matthew with the passage taken from the conclusion of that Gospel. It quickly moves from the disciples’ discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb to the commission that Jesus gives his disciples in today’s Gospel.
In today’s reading (John 14:15-21) Jesus offers encouragement to his disciples, who will soon see him crucified. He reassures them that even though he will leave them, he will not abandon them. Instead, he will send them the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, through whom the disciples will continue to live in union with Jesus.
Today’s Gospel takes us back in time to an event in Jesus’ life before his Passion. This reading is part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father’s house. Jesus’ promise that he will prepare a place for them “there are many dwelling places” is a comforting thought. For this reason, persons today choose this Gospel passage to be read at the funeral Mass for a loved one. Jesus assures his disciples that where he is going, they will be able to follow. Thomas, who after the Resurrection will later the disciples’ reports that they have seen the Risen Lord, contradicts Jesus by claiming that the disciples don’t know where Jesus is going or how to get there. Jesus explains that he himself is the way, the truth, and the life. In knowing and loving Jesus, the disciples will know and love God the Father.