Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (16: 12-15) in which Jesus says to his disciples, “I still have many things to say to you. They would be too much for you now but when the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you to complete the truth.”

Fr Paul says the Lord describes the functions of the Holy Spirit.

Firstly, the Spirit will tell us what to say and how to say it. The Holy Spirit enables us to say the right thing.

Secondly, that Spirit will guide us to the truth. It is from the Spirit that our right and bright ideas come.

Thirdly, the Spirit will guide us to action. We will be guided by the Holy Spirit almost instinctively.

All of this is a function of how deeply we allow the Spirit to permeate our lives. The Spirit is an abiding, permanent source of life, renewal and inspiration that we cannot lose. We can tune that Spirit out, but we cannot lose it.

Fr Paul invites to think on today’s Gospel question – have I tuned the Spirit out or am I open to the gifts of the Spirit?