REJOICE IN THE LORD! ~ CookingFood.Org

“RISEN WITH CHRIST”

Easter Reflections

Thursday, 25^thMay 2017.

Sixth Week of Easter

(CHECK YOUR LOCAL LITURGICAL CALENDAR.

In some dioceses the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today.)

Acts 18: 1-8;

Ps 98: 1-4;

Jn 16: 16-20

REJOICE IN THE LORD!

Our Lord, in the Gospel reading, tells his disciples that in a little while they would not see Him and then a little while they would see Him once again. He prepares them for his Death and Resurrection, by telling them that they will grieve and they will mourn while the world rejoices, but then their grief would be turned into rejoicing. So when they were able to see the Lord again after His Resurrection, their joy will be turned into grief.

Jesus informs His Apostles that sorrow and grief will be a part of their lives. It’s an act of love, on His part, to be up front with His Apostles about the coming hardships they will face. The good news is that Jesus follows this statement with the hopeful news that their “grief will become joy.” The same is true in our lives. Jesus does not promise us that our lives will be free from hardship and pain. He does not tell us that following Him means that all will be easy in life. If we follow in His footsteps, we need to see every bit of grief in our lives as potentially a means of grace for many. If we can face the hardships of life with faith and hope, nothing will ultimately keep us down and everything will be able to be used for God’s glory and will result in great joy.

What is necessary for us is simply to keep our focus on the Lord because that is where all of our hope comes from, and, consequently, it is where all of our joy can come from. The joy the world gives is brief and it is passing. There is nothing that lasts, as far as the world is concerned. Joy is found only in the Lord. Do not be scandalized or shocked when life deals you some difficulty. Do not despair when suffering is placed before you. Surrender all things to our Lord and let Him transform it into the joy that He promises in the end.

Prayer: Lord, I surrender to You all suffering in my life. My grief, hardships, sorrow and confusion I place in Your hands. I trust that You are all-powerful and desire to transform all things into a means of Your glory. Give me hope in times of despair and trust when life is hard. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.