June 1st - Reflection

John 16:16-24 (NRSV)
A little while, and you shall see
"A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me." Then some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying to us, 'A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" They said, "What does he mean by this 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'? Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Reflection
Do we really get the resurrection? There was sorrow in the death of Jesus, no doubt. In child-birth there is pain and anguish but joy over new life that exceeds the pain and anguish.

So like Jesus there is pain and sorrow and fear and separation from us in his death. It must be so. Sin must die through Jesus. Our sin must die in Jesus as he hangs from that cross. We are separated. On that cross hangs our sin. We are separated from our sin for a moment. But then there is joy in the morning.

On the morning of the resurrection all the pain and sorrow of the crucifixion is over and God gives us new life through Jesus. We are filled with joy at seeing Christ alive again that we now have an everlasting joy which nothing can destroy. Ask and you will receive. Believe! Christ has risen! He has risen indeed! Alleluia!

Prayer
Lord, hear all the world rejoice in the resurrection. You have brought life out of death and delivered an everlasting joy that overcomes all sin and death. Life in you! Thanks be to God! --- Amen