Dominum et vivificantem, the Paraclete's Light

[nathanael]

Reading Dominum et vivificantem, an Encyclical on the Holy Spirit and the heart of all fourteen Encyclicals of John Paul II, I have found in it insights so powerful, that I want to share them with you, even though it is only scratching the surface. I do it not to criticize the redactors of the New American Bible (some of whom were my former professors), but to call atention to a possible more accurate reading. A grievous mistake has crept into the translation of John 16, 8-11 to the effect that the most important message Jesus left before ascending has been degraded if not lost! To begin with, the Greek verb elencho, in that context, means "to convince about the true meaning," not "to convict"! Secondly, the "convincing" is about "sin, justice, and judgment," not about "sin, righteousness, and condemnation" (a lesser point). Why is this important? Our salvation depends on the proper understanding of these words, which the Paraclete was sent "to convince us of"! As Jesus explains, "sin" here means "not believing in Him" (unfaith); "justice" means that "It will no longer be seen, for He goes to the Father"( Jn 17, 28); and "judgment" means that Satan, the author of mysterium iniquitatis "has been condemned"! The Paraclete, and He alone, continues Christ's redemptive work until Christ comes again. The Paraclete's mission is to remind the people, primarily, how pernicious is their unbelief, and secondarily, to form and to cause contrition in consciences, necessary for conversion. Through this painful contrition the Spirit incinerates sin just as He has incinerated with His "fire" the sin of the whole mankind in the Pain the Cross, turning Suffering into Love! This is the meaning of Redemption, the mysterium pietatis! Furthermore, not to believe the Paraclete's words, "amounts to a sin against Him that won't be forgiven"! That's why the correct interpretation which John Paul II gives is so important! Every historical sin, the Polish Pope says, "is an extension of this sin of unfaith, is unfaith. As far as "Justice," because Jesus goes to the Father, He - the eternal Moral Law and the fountain and Archetype of all laws governing the cosmos - "will no longer be seen" (notice the amazing insight that Jesus, Word-Son, is no other than the Primordial Word-Law, which the Jews keep rejecting - their own Law)! I hope that the Jews read this! As far as Judgment, all sins were taken away by Christ's sacrifice! This alone should be reason why all mankind ought to rejoice. Only Satan and all those who do not open their hearts to this Paraclete's "convincing," and fail to repent before dying, face condemnation (same in St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae, II-II, q, 14, a 3). The metanoia (conversion) hinges on the believing and taking into consciousness (heart) these truths on the true mission of the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, of this Truth! Moreover, in this "Spirit and Truth we must love God" (Jn 4, 24; 15, 26; 16, 13). It is only when the true conversion begins, that the Spirit begins to lead a person "beyond the realm of sin and judgment, and into a communion with God and a friendship with God"! In short, it is only then that our life and freedom and all possible earthly happiness in God is possible!

[jeanne]

Nathanael,

Thank you for that explanation. I always had trouble understanding the use of the word "convict" in that verse ( and others).

[nathanael]

Yes, indeed. I believe that this is quite important. But the credit goes entirely to John Paul II, who under the Holy Spirit's guidance noticed the "discrepancy," and corrected it in his infallible teaching prior to his death. I am surprised that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops continued to publish the NAB with the word "convict" after the Encyclical Dominum et vivificantem was published in 1986. And I just hope that the next editions of NAB pay tribute to John Paul II and amend J 19, 8-11 for the good of all Christians and the world! I say the "world," because according to John Paul II, these "three words" which Christ left us prior to His departure to Heaven, are addressed to every human being on earth, for the sacrifice of the Cross was for all(DV, 42)!

[jeanne]

nathanael said:

Yes, indeed. I believe that this is quite important. But the credit goes entirely to John Paul II, who under the Holy Spirit's guidance noticed the "discrepancy," and corrected it in his infallible teaching prior to his death.

Yes, and one more of the many reasons why he will someday be declared "Saint".