Passion Sunday, April 17th 2011

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Narrator Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,

Judas “What will you give me if I betray him to you?”

Narrator They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying,

Congregation “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

Narrator He said,

Jesus “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, my time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’”

Narrator So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said,

Jesus “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

Narrator And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another,

Congregation “Surely not I, Lord?”

Narrator He answered,

Jesus “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.”

Narrator Judas, who betrayed him, said,

Judas “Surely not I, Rabbi?”

Narrator He replied,

Jesus “You have said so.”

Narrator While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said,

Jesus “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Narrator Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying,

Jesus “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Narrator When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,

Jesus “You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

Narrator Peter said to him,

Peter “Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.”

Jesus “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”

Narrator Peter said to him,

Peter “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.”

Narrator And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples,

Jesus “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

Narrator He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them,

Jesus “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.”

Narrator And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed,

Jesus “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”

Narrator Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter,

Jesus “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Narrator Again he went away for the second time and prayed,

Jesus “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

Narrator Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them,

Jesus “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Narrator While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying,

Betrayer/Friend “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.”

Narrator At once he came up to Jesus and said,

Betrayer/Friend “Greetings, Rabbi!”

Narrator and kissed him. Jesus said to him,

Jesus “Friend, do what you are here to do.”

Narrator Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him,

Narrator “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?”

Narrator At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,


Jesus “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.”

Narrator Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end.

Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said,

False Witnesses “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’”

Narrator The high priest stood up and said,

High Priest “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?”

Narrator But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him,

High Priest “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Narrator Jesus said to him,

Jesus “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Narrator Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,

High Priest “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”

Narrator They answered,

Congregation “He deserves death.”

Narrator Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying,

Congregation “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?”

Narrator Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said,

1st Servant-Girl “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”

Narrator But he denied it before all of them, saying,

Peter “I do not know what you are talking about.”

Narrator When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders,

2nd Servant-Girl “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Narrator Again he denied it with an oath,

Peter “I do not know the man.”

Narrator After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter,

Congregation “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.”

Narrator Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath,

Peter “I do not know the man!”

Narrator At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said:

Jesus “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”

Narrator And he went out and wept bitterly.

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He said,

Betrayer/Friend “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”

Narrator But they said,

Congregation “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”

Narrator Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said,

Congregation “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.”

Narrator After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah,

Jeremiah “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.” Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him,

Pilate “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Narrator Jesus said,

Jesus “You say so.”

Narrator But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him,

Pilate “Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?”

Narrator But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them,

Pilate “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

Narrator For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him,

Pilate’s Wife “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.”

Narrator Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them,

Pilate “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

Narrator And they said,

Congregation “Barabbas.”

Narrator Pilate said to them,

Pilate “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

Narrator All of them said,

Congregation “Let him be crucified!”

Narrator Then he asked,

Pilate “Why, what evil has he done?”

Narrator But they shouted all the more,

Congregation “Let him be crucified!”

Narrator So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying,

Pilate “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”

Narrator Then the people as a whole answered,

Congregation “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Narrator So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Narrator Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying,

Congregation “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Narrator They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.

Please stand.

Narrator And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.

Narrator And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying,

Congregation “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

Narrator In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying,

Congregation “He saved others; he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, ‘I am God's Son.’”

Narrator The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice,

Jesus “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”

Narrator that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Narrator When some of the bystanders heard it, they said,

Congregation “This man is calling for Elijah.”

Narrator At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said,

Congregation “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”

Narrator Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said,

Centurion “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Narrator Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said,

Spokesman for the Chief Priests and Pharisees: “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.”

Narrator Pilate said to them,

Pilate “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.”

Narrator So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Time to consider: Pentecost Celebration in Retrospect

What did we do well?
What needs to be reconsidered?
What should we scrap

I heard from several people that the music was absolute great, perfect, stunning. Great job David and your musicians!

The balloons seemed to me to make more of a difference in the church décor than did the drapes on the lights but by themselves I’m not so sure. Has anyone a memory of a time with only balloons in the nave at Christ Church?

And speaking of balloons I tied them to the kids as they went up for communion. The effect from the back was stunning! All those signals of the Spirit moving about the church.

The incense outside seemed to be just about right wafting in from time to time. The charcoal went out and I put a new piece in while others were greeting during the peace. I was told by folks that they noticed a sweet waft of incense as the offering was going forward and they thought it was perfect. (little did they know, but it means that in the future we can think about when we want incense to be noticed and plan accordingly) I was also told by several people that they like incense but usually it is too strong and this was just right. So perhaps in less warm weather that means a little incense could be brought into the back of the church from the porch and taken back out again instead of swinging the censure.

The drapes are going into a storage box if we want them again they will be available.

The only comment I had on the mist coming from the font was a how did we do that question. Any one else get any comments?

The sheets of bible verses were discarded with the other papers from the service. That does not work in this format. ACE would have to wave them about and ask for folks to respond. Maybe in the parish hall after service.

No one mentioned the oil as a sign of the spirit but people did go into the niche for prayers.

Great idea to take bread and wine to the cooks! It not only includes them in the service but it reminds the congregation that some one is working pretty hard to make the party happen.

Wally, Bob N., and I took the drapes off the lights after the service so as not to have to come back early on Wednesday to do it. We need to have a better plan for clean up of the church as well as the parish hall next church do.

I never made it into the parish hall for lunch (I ate during the vestments meeting) so I have no idea how that went. It looked like things were well organized from the outside but I think Susan needs to let us know what has to be done to organize the kitchen crew. How many bodies does it take and when to get a meal out for the parish.

I was told by the ushers that there were 91 people in the church after the offering.

The combined service at 9 seems to be confusing a fair number of people, 8am showed up early and 10 came late. Folks handled the extra service on Easter but 8 and 10 were still available. People also did OK with the change of time on Christmas Day. But then the extra services on Saturday drew them, and Christmas day is always a less well attended service. May be that any time change has to be associated with a major feast and we have not done the education necessary for our folks to realize Pentecost is a major feast.

Thanks to everyone for all the hard work. Now can I get you to read this over and add your comments and mail them back to me? I file all this stuff in folders on the computer for use next time.

NOTES FROM OUR WORSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING (MAY 18, 2006)



Service Booklet for season of Pentecost
Page 1 - currently reads THE WERE FILLED ought to be THEY, otherwise nice cover art, the bird looks like flames at first glance

Page 3 - remove the opening sentence for day of Pentecost, this will appear in the leaflet with the lessons.

Page 4 - next to Kyrie, add or song of praise

Page 5 - add simple creed text after Nicene creed

Page 10 - take out the preface for Ascension, it will be past when we start to use the booklet

Page 15 - old format for Lord’s Prayer is back, the congregation didn’t seem to notice that a different text was offered during Easter

Page 18 & 19 - extended dismissal, we will see how this flies with congregation, committee seemed to like it

New photos
The photographer from across the street has given Bob two pictures of Mary taken in the church. One will be mounted by the prayer candles, the other will be hung over the desk in the narthex. They will be changed out for other art after 3 or 4 months.

Bob purchased a new cross for the prayer niche. It has flowers embedded in epoxy. Lovely form to the wooden frame. The Christus Rex is on vacation, he’ll be rotated back as well.

WHITSUNDAY DÉCOR
Music - David is thinking about this, two songs were suggested, Wind wind and Breathe on me breath of God. Lizz is looking for her copy of the music for Wind, wind.

Incense - to be placed out of doors by the garden cross. Looking for an incense burner. Lizz is going to Chinatown in San Francisco will hunt there. Wally has offered another suggestion, place burning charcoal in a bowl and put incense pellets one at a time on the coals.

Water - Sandie is checking her “odds and ends supply” for a fountain. Lizz is looking for one of the fog fountain type. We will see if any of them could be mounted in the font for the service.

There is a shell font in the atrium. Could we borrow it for the service and set it up where it will be visible. (gasp, choke) perhaps instead of Jesus in the narthex. More likely arrange a display next to the incense in the garden.

Flame/fire - cellophane in red, orange, and yellow hung from fish line rear window to the rood beam. Bring a stapler to fasten it to the line, ladders to string the line. By the way is there something to fasten the line into next to the window?

The candles are images of fire all year any one have any ideas on how to direct attention to them on Whitsunday?

Balloons by Sandie, they tend to lose the helium over night and would need to be filled on Sunday morning.

Dove - Bob has a fishing line and pole for mounting a bird/kite. He will look for a dove for the service. Alan also thought he knew of a kite store to check. (a least I think it was Alan)

Lizz and Sandie are going shopping at Michael’s to be arranged by them via e-mail.

Bob - the blog still has the service listed as in the parish hall. This needs to be changed on the parish update and check other blogs as well.

Dear Friends:

Now that Easter season is underway, we need to gather again to begin planning for the Pentecost Feast on June 4th and the full season of Pentecost that will bring us into Advent again.

We will meet on May 18th at 6 PM in the church chapel area. Please let me know by return email if you are able to attend or not.

Below you will find

1. An outline of our liturgical plan for three service booklets in Pentecost.
2. A brief explanation of the season of Pentecost with observations by Lizz Beitzel
3. The collect and lessons for Pentecost Sunday

Please read this material prior to our meeting so we can spend our hour together in productive planning. Thank you for being of service. Bob+

Pentecost Notes from Father Bob

There are 26 Sundays during this year beginning on June 4 and going through November 26.
At first I was considering doing a separate book for Pentecost Sunday (June 4) and then beginning our "ordinary" Pentecost booklets on Trinity Sunday June 11.

But I think it would be better for us to have three booklets (9 weeks for the first two booklets and 8 weeks for the last booklet) that will include the proper preface, for example, for Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, and the three preface options for ordinary time.

Pentecost I (June 4-July 30) Including the Feast of Pentecost (June 4) and Trinity Sunday (June 11)

Pentecost II (August 6-October 1) Including Transfiguration of Our Lord (August 6)

Pentecost III (October 8-November 26)

Since All Saints Day happens on a Wednesday this year, I would suggest that we do something special that day at our mid-week celebration. Maybe we could get a bigger turn out for the Wednesday service if we advertise this special day and do some stuff to build interest.

This booklet would include Christ the King (November 26) and so should include material that will build towards this special day in the life of the parish. I have created a blog site for our worship committee to facilitate communication amongst the various members and to allow members of the parish to refer to our work.

The blog site can be found at http://christchurchworshipcommittee.blogspot.com/.

Lizz on Pentecost

The feast of Pentecost was one of three feasts celebrated in Jerusalem at the time Jesus lived. The feast of Passover (Pesach) is tied to the lunar calendar and the spring equinox. What we call Pentecost came fifty days (seven weeks) after Pesach. Sometimes called the feast of weeks, it celebrated the early harvest. (Numbers 28:26-31 and Leviticus 23:9-22) A calendar I have indicates that a barley harvest took place sometime in March, then a wheat harvest in Late May or early June. Pentecost would seem to be this second harvest. The third feast is Succoth in fall, another harvest time.

I remember my mother talking about vinegar pie when she was growing up. It made no sense to me, raised on canned goods. But for an agrarian people who considered pie a staple, spring brought a dilemma (pie being a crust of wheat as bread rather than the flaky crust of today). Sometime in the spring the cook ran out of dried fruits and the vegetables were either shriveled or sprouting as they came from the root cellar. A reasonable facsimile of tart citrus pie could be fashioned with vinegar. That first harvest from the garden or the green tops of dandelions were a great treat. The feast of weeks marked that time for the ancients. People no longer had to get by on their stored food from the previous year. Truly a time to give thanks.

In this frame of reference the disciples gathered in Jerusalem to keep a feast of thanksgiving for the first time since the death and resurrection of Jesus. They were doing what any observant Jew would do. What ever they might have been expecting, the event we remember as Pentecost was different.

Lessons and Collects for the Feast of Pentecost


Feast of Pentecost
4 June 2006

Collect
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place.
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
`In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

Hear what the Spirit is saying to those gathered here today.
Psalm 104:25-35,37
25 O LORD, how manifold are your works! * in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
26 Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, * creatures both small and great.
27 There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, * which you have made for the sport of it.
28 All of them look to you * to give them their food in due season.
29 You give it to them; they gather it; * you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; * you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust.
31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *and so you renew the face of the earth.
32 May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; *may the LORD rejoice in all his works.
33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; * he touches the mountains and they smoke.
34 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; * I will praise my God while I have my being.
35 May these words of mine please him; * I will rejoice in the LORD.
37 Bless the LORD, O my soul. * Hallelujah!


ROMANS 8:22-27
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

JOHN 15:26-27; 16:4B-15
Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But, now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."