SORROW WILL TURN INTO JOY

May 13, Thursday

 

SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER

 

Many people are lamenting because they do not feel the presence of God, particularly in moments of deep sorrow. At the occasion of the death of a beloved person one hears often: “Where is God now? He has deserted us!” It was a thought that many Jews expressed during the “Shoah” (holocaust, literally “destruction,”). Yet, some tenaciously held on to God, saying that it was God who suffered there at the hands of people.

 

First Reading: Acts 18:1-8

After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. “Have it your way, then,” he said. “You’ve made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I’m spending my time with the other nations.”

He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews’ meeting place. But Paul’s efforts with the Jews weren’t a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.

In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized.

 

Gospel: John 16:16-20

“In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me.”

That stirred up a hornet’s nest of questions among the disciples: “What’s he talking about: ‘In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me’? And, ‘Because I’m on my way to the Father’? What is this ‘day or so’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”

Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, “Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me’? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You’re going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You’ll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.

 

Prayer

Lord, our God,
when we suffer deeply
we tend to cry out:
“My God, where are you?”
Give to us, people who believe
that your Son died for us
and by your power rose from the dead,
a faith deep and strong enough
to know that you are with us
also in the difficulties and woes of life,
even in the throes of death.
Give us this faith,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

Reflection:

“Seeing”

The Church celebrates the 104th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to three children in Fatima. The Message of Fatima is still relevant for today’s world and the Church – to pray for the conversion of the world and for world peace.

Today’s Gospel leaves us with some mysterious words of Jesus: “In a little while you will no longer see me, and in a little while you will see me again”. The first part seems to mean sadness for the disciples but the reunion will bring them joy again.

Jesus was certainly going to disappear and that would lead the disciples to feel the sadness of separation, of the loss of someone they love. But the promise is the joy that awaits the disciples: you will see me again.

“Seeing” can be done in many ways. There are those who, in spite of having their eyes open, do not see or understand anything. And there are those who even with their eyes closed see and understand everything. We believe that Jesus is present not only in the Eucharist but also where there are two or three gathered in his name. And he is present in the poor, the needy, the marginalized, the sick.

There are people who are able to see beyond what can be perceived or touched and discover signs of hope, of life, of God’s presence, while others are only able to see darkness and despair. They are people who have the light, the love of God, within their hearts and that is why they see what others do not see. They are able to illuminate, to live in joy. They see Jesus walking with us, they feel his presence in the poor, in the sad, in those who live in despair. And his presence brings light and hope to all.

Let us ask Jesus on this day to give us that other way of seeing, to enlighten us from within so that we may discover his presence close to us, so that we may be able to light up hope in our hearts and communicate it to those we meet along the way. We do not see Jesus physically but if we open our eyes, we will find him by our side, because he does not leave us alone. And the joy that will fill us will become contagious. And we will be a light for those around us.

 

Video available on Youtube: “Seeing”