Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (16: 23-28) in which Jesus says to his disciples, ‘Anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive’.

Fr Paul says in today’s gospel the Lord speaks about a time when he will use clear and concise language when speaking about the Father. Then our joy will be full.

When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are no longer dependent on words, images or phrases of a teacher to instruct us about something of which we know little. We are able to experience the presence of God for ourselves.

It is similar to the experience of love. We can read books about love, but it is only when an individual has the experience of love that he or she can realise the full depth of power as something more than words can express.

Fr Paul says, the same is true of our experience with God.