From Sorrow to Joy: Embracing the Commission of Resurrection
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
John 16:16-20
A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me. So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me,’ and ‘again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ [of which he speaks]? We do not know what he means.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
Grace Prayed For
Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to deeply experience the transformative power of your resurrection in my own life, so that my sorrows may be turned into an unshakeable joy that fuels my participation in your Great Commission.
Reflection
Imagine the disciples huddled together, a cloud of confusion and sadness hanging over them. Jesus, their beloved teacher, speaks of leaving, only to return. Their hearts, still clinging to the echoes of Passover and the weight of recent events, struggle to grasp his words. Can you feel their anxiety, the uncertainty of what lies ahead? This “little while” must have felt like an eternity in the face of their impending loss.
And then, the unimaginable happens. The darkness of Good Friday gives way to the glorious dawn of Easter. The weeping and mourning transform into uncontainable joy. The sorrow, though real and profound, is swallowed up by the reality of the resurrected Christ.
This passage, nestled between the Last Supper and the promise of the Holy Spirit, speaks directly to our own journey of faith and our role in the Great Commission. Just as the disciples’ initial grief turned into a joy that propelled them to share the Good News, our own moments of doubt and struggle are meant to be transformed by the power of the resurrection. We are called to remember that the “little while” of our earthly trials is temporary. The joy of encountering the risen Christ, both in scripture and in our lives, is the driving force behind our mission to go out and make disciples. It is from this deep well of Easter joy that we find the courage and strength to share the transformative power of Christ’s love with the world. Our personal encounter with the resurrected Lord empowers us to become instruments of his enduring promise.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage reveals Jesus’ intimate knowledge of his disciples’ hearts and his gentle way of preparing them for the profound shift from sorrow to joy. It highlights his divine foresight and his deep desire for them to understand the significance of his death and resurrection. Reflecting on this passage invites us to trust in Jesus’ promises, even when they seem unclear, fostering a deeper intimacy rooted in faith and the anticipation of the joy he offers.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post