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We see Jesus telling His disciples at John 14:15-16 (NRSVCE):

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever

In the first appearance, Jesus is promising the Holy Spirit to the disciples as a replacement for His physical presence with them. But, we also see Him telling the disciples at Matt 28:19-20 (NRSVCE):

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

My question therefore is: How does the catholic Church differentiate between the presence of the Holy Spirit on the earth as promised by Jesus at John 14:16 vis-a-vis His own presence as mentioned at Mtt 28:20?

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The sending of the Holy Spirit is one of the means by which Christ fulfills his promise to be with us always.

The Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary enumerates additional ways in which Christ remains with us:

  1. by always dwelling in the hearts of the faithful;
  2. by his sacramental presence in the holy Eucharist;
  3. by his providential care, and constant protection to his holy Catholic Church.
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  • What's a sacramental presence?
    – Walter S
    Jun 29, 2020 at 4:20
  • Very good quality for a first post. Welcome to SE-C. Please see below (bottom left) for the Tour and the Help as to the purpose and the functioning of the site. (+1 up-voted)
    – Nigel J
    Jun 29, 2020 at 8:24
  • @WalterSmetana, CCC 1374 details the means by which Christ is sacramentally present in the Eucharist: "In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist 'the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.'"
    – remline
    Jun 29, 2020 at 13:42

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