Sixth Week of Easter
09th May 2024 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 2
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Acts 18:1-8
In those days: Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 (R. see 2b)
R/. The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/.I will not leave you as orphans, says the Lord; I will come to you, and your hearts will rejoice.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : John 16:16-20
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘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, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – Sixth Week of Easter
Guidelines: Human life is full of contrasts and paradoxes. All the more, a true following of Christ involves a lot of contrasting situations. But the true followers discern, resolve and surge ahead
1. Jesus continues his farewell discourse to his Twelve. He alerts them and prepares them for his impending separation. So he says, “A little while, you will see me no longer and again a little while, and you will see me”. He refers to his physical going and later his continued presence through the Holy Spirit.
2. His physical absence will naturally cause sorrow to them. But his enemies will rejoice. That is why Jesus says, “you will weep and lament but the world will rejoice”. This was the same contrast experience for Paul and the rest. Some like Aquila, Priscilla, and Titus believed. But some others opposed and reviled.
3. It is disheartening to miss Jesus physically. Certainly, it means a lot. That direct listening, that personal intimacy, that concrete person-to-person interaction, and experience will not be there. Therefore they would weep and lament.
4. But it is not a permanent miss and loss. It is not abandonment by God. He will never go away from them. He will be always with them and us. The only thing, it is a different mode of being and presence. It is a presence and accompaniment through the Spirit.
5. This spiritual presence will not be dissipated by the physical presence. It will rise above the ordinary human sadness at separation and loss. It is a call to live in a higher realm. It is a deeper level of relating and following. That is why natural sorrow will turn into spiritual joy.
Practice: Joy and sorrow are not always the right criteria for good or bad. Things of God and fidelity to God’s ways, though difficult, give profound and true joy
