Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/693

 that, where  I am,  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me  may  be with  Me,  that  they  may  see  My  glory.”

And having  said  the  Hymn,  they  went  forth  to  the  Mount of Olives  (Fig.  84,  p.  645).

Our Lords  Divinity.  In  His  prayer:  “Father,  glorify  Thy  Son  &amp;c.”, Jesus calls  God  His  Father,  and  Himself  the  Son  of  the  Divine  Father.. He also  speaks  of  His  glory  which  He  had  with  the  Father  before  the world began,  thus  teaching  most  clearly  that,  before  His  Incarnation, He was  from  all  eternity  with  the  Father. For our  Lord  to  speak  in this  way  He  must  be  the  only-begotten  and  co-equal  Son  of  God.

Jesus Christ  our  Mediator.  The  chapter  we  have  just  read  shows us that  our  Lord  gave  His  life  for  love  of  us; that  it  is  only  through Him that  we  can  come  to  the  Father; that  He  prepares  a place  for  us in  the  House  of  His  Father;  that  He  gives  everlasting  life  to  His  followers; that the  Holy  Ghost  is  sent  in  His  name;  and  that  whoever  prays in His  name  will  be  heard. It follows  from  all  these  passages  that Jesus Christ  is  our  Mediator  with  the  Father;  that  through  Him  we are  reconciled  to  God; and  that  it  is  only  through  Him  that  we  can obtain grace  and  glory.

The Holy  Ghost  is  the  Third  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. Our Lord calls  Him  “another  Paraclete”,  who  would,  in  His  own  stead, enlighten, sanctify,  strengthen  and  comfort  the  apostles  and  those  who came after  them,  till  the  end  of  all  things. This shows  us  that  the Holy Ghost  must  be  a Divine  Person,  distinct  from  the  Father  and  from the Son. We have  just  read  our  Lord’s  words:  “The  Father  will  send Him in  My  Name”; and  in  another  passage  He  speaks  of  “the  Paraclete, the Spirit  of  Truth,  whom  I will  send  you  from  the  Father”. The Holy Ghost  is,  therefore,  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  who proceeds from  all  eternity  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  who  in time  was  sent  by  the  Father  and  the  Son.

The Infallibility  of  the  Church.  Our  Lord  knew  well  that  the apostles did  not  fully  understand  what  He  taught  them,  and  He  knew moreover that,  owing  to  the  weakness  of  human  nature,  much  that He had  taught  them  would,  in  the  course  of  time,  be  forgotten, without the  aid  of  a higher  and  supernatural  assistance. He therefore promised to  send  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  to  abide  with