As we approach the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven, our hearts both rejoice at His glorification and grow sad at the loss of the closeness we experienced with Him while He walked on earth. Yet, the words which Jesus speaks to His apostles show us that His work is not finished. He promises to send the Holy Spirit, who will guide us in our following of Christ’s teachings until the end of time. This gospel can be understood at 3 different levels: the literal, the personal, and the ecclesiastical.
Literal
In the literal sense, Jesus is speaking to the apostles in the upper room prior to His arrest and crucifixion. They are still weak and inconstant, as they have not yet received strength from the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to fully bear the trials Jesus knows are ahead. Also, their minds are yet to be opened by the light of the Holy Spirit to understand higher divine truths. When the Holy Spirit comes on Pentecost, these limitations will be removed, and the Gospel will begin to spread across the world like wildfire.
Personal
In the personal sense, just as God gradually revealed Himself and His plan for salvation through history, He gradually reveals to us Himself and His plan for us. We, like the apostles, must spiritually mature to be able to receive inspirations and knowledge that is above our human powers or reasoning. It is important to remember that the way the Holy Spirit is a guide to us is not like a museum tour guide. He doesn’t simply point out interesting things we might have otherwise missed. Rather, He is like a guide leading hikers up Mount Everest. You aren’t going to make it to the top without Him, and you aren’t going to make it back down without Him, either. We must trust His inspirations to continue to ascend towards union with God.
Ecclesiastical
In the ecclesiastical sense, we see clearly how the Holy Spirit has led the development of the doctrine through the centuries. The Faith has never changed, and yet we continue to grow deeper in our understanding of it and its implications. The living magisterium, headed by the Pope, is the visible proof that the Holy Spirit continues to actively guide the Church and lead her into all truth. We rejoice in the election of Pope Leo XIV as a sign that God has not failed to lead His Church for the last 2000 years and shall never abandon her until He comes again.
