Experience teaches only the teachable.

"Everyone loves to teach, but rarely do any of us take unsought advice well, and even more rarely are we truly teachable. Being teachable means being open to learn. In order to learn, one must listen, and we learn to listen only if we know the most important thing – that we do not know everything, that we do not have ‘all the answers.’ - Ernie Kurtz: (American Author & Harvard PhD)

Gospel Text: (JN 16:23B-28)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Amen, amen, I say to you,

whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

Until now you have not asked anything in my name;

ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

“I have told you this in figures of speech.

The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures

but I will tell you clearly about the Father.

On that day you will ask in my name,

and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.

For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me

and have come to believe that I came from God.

I came from the Father and have come into the world.

Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Whenever Jesus uses the phrase “very truly” he is presenting us with a new teaching. In this case Jesus is assuring us that he will not be speaking to us in “parables” but directly in plain truth.  The truth he shares is that the Holy Spirit will be with us and will teach us plainly. 

Are we open to the Holy Spirit? Are we docile to the teachings presented to us each and every day?

Jesus assures us because we believe we will have a new understanding in the power of prayers.  To act on this understanding is to find the “fullness of joy.”