You are standing on a mountain in the Swiss Alps, and an instructor is helping you into your gear before you run off the mountain’s edge and start to parasail down. It will take an hour to reach the bottom, and you are receiving your last instructions. When the wind is right, the instructor will yell, “Run!” So you listen for the instructor’s voice, and then you run. You catch the wind under your sail, and your journey ­begins.

Jesus knew he would be ending his time on earth, and he wanted to make sure his disciples had their final instructions. He wanted them to know that they would never be alone. He wanted them to know that they would have everything they needed and that if they listened to the voice of the Spirit, their journey would be everything God intended it to be.

Jesus still points us in the same direction. He reminds us that we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How we treat others, how we embrace love, and how we obey him are the equipment we need. Jesus points us in the direction of the Father, and now, guided by the Spirit, our task is to follow the directions, wait for the wind, and run.