John 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."
Dawg's Thought:
Today's prayer intention - for safety for those who are traveling.
Growing up, I would normally be with my parents when they would go shopping. We'd go to various stores getting things that we needed.
Well, one day we went to the store and I saw a pack of baseball cards that had been opened. I helped pick up the cards and gave them to the employee. Unfortunately, I saw one that I wanted to have and I slid it in my pocket.
As we were walking out of the store, an undercover cop stopped us. I was caught trying to steal a baseball card. We went into the area where they talked to me.
I remember what the drive home was like. Normally, I looked forward to getting home. This time, though, I wasn't looking forward to it. I knew that there would be a punishment that was waiting for me, and there was.
In that moment, there was no joy in being at home. The reason for the lack of joy wasn't because I lived in a home with terrible conditions. Instead, it was because I was caught doing something that I wasn't suppose to do.
On the day that we will be before Our Lord, will we be joyful? Will we know a loving God that forgives us our sins? How can we know this if we are unwilling to encounter Him in the Sacraments, and most notably the reconciliation? If we joyfully receiving Our Lord in a complete gift of Himself, why would we want to steal? Doesn't He give Himself freely?
In this time of weeping and mourning, we can encounter our loving Lord daily. In this, may our hope increase in a God Who we rejoiced in ... Who we rejoice in ... and Who we will rejoice in. Take care and God Bless.
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