For too long we have thought of the Christian life as
essentially either involvement in political, economic, social concerns that wear us out and result in depression, or activity which keeps the church intact and doctrinally pure. Our primary orientation cannot be an institution or some great cause or even other people, but first and forever to God. Unless our identity is hid in God we will never know who we are or what we are to do. Our first act must be prayer. To be human is to pray, to meditate both day and night on the love and activity of
God.
- John H. Westerhoff III and John D. Eusden, The Spiritual Life
(First things first!)
|
ACTS 18:9-18; PS 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
JN 16:20-23
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, amen, I say to
you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will
not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."
Reflection on the
Scriptures |
The example Jesus uses (in today's Gospel) should begin to restore hope even in the depths of the pain of our human suffering. The example of the pain of childbirth is profound in that the joy of seeing the face of one’s newborn is worth the pain. While Jesus was most specifically referring to the pain the disciples will feel upon his crucifixion and their joy resulting from the risen Christ.
Today’s Gospel reveals the promise that when Jesus sees them again they will experience a joy “no one can take away from you.” When we are in despair, we can take comfort in the everlasting presence of the risen Jesus who in faith is with us always. Whatever our journey, and indeed we know we will experience sufferings in our lives, despite the inevitable tribulations we can experience the same joy
promised to the disciples. In faith and in prayer, we must remember that for those close to Jesus, pain and joy are not incompatible.
- by Mark
Latta Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Thirteenth Revelation, Chapter 38
In Heaven “the token of sin is
turned to worship.”—
Examples thereof:
And Saint John of Beverley, our Lord shewed him full highly, in comfort to us for homeliness; and brought to my mind how he is a dear neighbour, and of our knowing. And God called
him Saint John of Beverley plainly as we do, and that with a most glad sweet cheer, shewing that he is a full high saint in Heaven in His sight, and a blissful. And with this he made mention that in his youth and in his tender age he was a dearworthy servant to God, greatly God loving and dreading, and yet God suffered him to fall, mercifully keeping him that he perished not, nor lost no time. And afterward God raised him to manifold more grace, and by the contrition and meekness that he had in
his living, God hath given him in Heaven manifold joys, overpassing that [which] he should have had if he had not fallen. And that this is sooth, God sheweth in earth with plenteous miracles doing about his body continually.
And all this was to make us glad and merry in love.
|
|
|
