Friday, May 10, 2002
6th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 18:9-18
Gospel: Jn 16:20-23
Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, you will weep
and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow
will turn to joy. A woman in childbirth is in distress because her time
is at hand. But after the child is born, she no longer remembers her suffering
because of such great joy: a human being is born into the world.
You feel sorrowful now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will
rejoice. And no one will take your joy from you. When that day comes you
will not ask me anything. Truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father
in my Name, he will give you."
Commentary
Christ promises us a joy great enough to make us forget whatever we may have suffered. A joy no one can take away from us. Is such a joy possible? What if we have lost a beloved child, spouse, parent, sibling or friend, through sickness or accident? Will not our sorrow remain always, to be carried throughout our life? In such cases the one thing that may comfort us is our faith in the resurrection of the dead, that we shall see them again and our hearts will rejoice with a joy that no one can take away from us, for once died and risen they can never die again. This faith is what we long to hold with confidence. The gospel promises us that this faith will be given to us if we ask the Father in Jesus' name.