Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Jn 16:16-20
May 26, 2022 | Thursday

Today’s Gospel

A little while, and you will see me no more; and then a little while, and you will see me.”

Some of the disciples wondered, “What does he mean by, ‘A little while, and you will not see me; and then a little while, and you will see me’? And why did he say, ‘I go to the Father’?” And they said to one another, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

Jesus knew that they wanted to question him; so he said to them, “You are puzzled because I told you that in a little while you will see me no more, and then a little while later you will see me.

Truly, I say to you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

Today’s Reflection:

In the Gospel of John, the “world” may pertain to anything opposed to Christ. For the early Christians, this meant that they will be persecuted, they will be opposed by other people and people would not listen to them. We also see this reality in our first reading when Paul was opposed and the people were abusive towards him. In our case, it may mean being a counter-culture. This can also mean rejecting what the world offers. By saying “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy,” Jesus speaks of a reversal of fortunes. It may be true that the world rejoices now but later, we will be the ones rejoicing. Jesus points to the “other-worldly” joy which transcends anything this world offers. Let us live for this kind of joy that Christ offers. /Vulnerasti, 2022