Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
The Missionary Decade. Day Two — “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever” (Jn 14:16)
May 16, 2026
We encourage everyone to respond to His Beatitude Sviatoslav’s invitation to prepare properly for the feast of Pentecost. Over the next few days, we will reflect on passages from the Gospel of John in the context of married and family life. Together, we will seek answers to important questions: how to preserve love in times of trial, how to learn unity, forgiveness, self-sacrifice, and mutual support, and how to build a family centered on God.
Saturday, May 16
A reading of the Holy Gospel according to John 14:10–21
This passage belongs to the so-called Farewell Discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper. The events take place on the eve of Christ’s Passion. The disciples are experiencing deep anxiety because Jesus is speaking about His departure. In response, He reveals to them profound truths about His unity with the Father and, most importantly, assures them that: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because He abides with you, and He will be in you” (Jn 14:16–17).
The Holy Spirit is God’s greatest response to human fear, trials, and challenges. Very soon we will witness a striking transformation in the lives of the Apostles. Those who are still hiding behind locked doors, frightened and confused, will suddenly go out and begin openly and courageously proclaiming Christ. They will no longer hide, but will openly bear witness.
What is important to notice here is that the reason for this transformation will not be a change in external circumstances. The world around them will not change. It will continue to remain dangerous for the Apostles, for ahead of them await persecution, hardships, and even death. They themselves will change because the Holy Spirit will descend upon them. It is precisely the Holy Spirit who will transform frightened Apostles into courageous, wise, and determined witnesses.
How greatly our engaged couples, married couples, and families need such a transformation today!
Today fear has become an almost constant companion of our lives. If we listen carefully to people’s conversations, we can hear many anxieties and worries. Young people, for example, are afraid to marry because they do not know what tomorrow will bring. Married couples are afraid to have children because they worry about their children’s future. Many families live with constant fear for the lives of their loved ones. At times, it seems as though fear and anxiety have become the new “language” of our age. Yet it is precisely in such a reality that it is so important for us today to hear the words of Christ: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever.”
The Holy Spirit does not always remove the cause of fear, but by entering into the human heart, He does not allow fear to become the master of human life. Where the Holy Spirit acts, fear does not have the final word. Instead, inner peace comes, clarity of thought appears, and the courage to live is born. Let us note that peace within the family does not arise by itself — it is the fruit of God’s presence. The Holy Spirit helps us, when necessary, to find words of forgiveness, to restrain anger, to hear one another, and not to lose love amid conflicts. In other words, when the Holy Spirit acts within a family, there is greater love, acceptance, mutual respect, and patience.
Therefore, as we journey through this Missionary Decade Spirit and prepare to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, let us today carefully examine the principal fears and anxieties of our family life, so that we may bring them before God and allow Him to transform them into peace, courage, and living hope.
Mission Tasks:
1. Personal Level: Today let us name one of our fears before God and ask Him to fill our hearts with peace and trust.
2. Parish Level: Let us help our parish become a place where people can overcome fear and open themselves to the action of the Holy Spirit.
3. Missionary Level: Today let us support someone who is experiencing fear or anxiety by offering a word of encouragement or assuring them of our prayers.
