6th week in Easter Time, Friday – 22nd May 2020 — Gospel: Jn 16,20-23
Promise of a lasting Joy
As Jesus continues to comfort his disciples, He tells them that He will see them again. Once more Jesus refers to his post-resurrection appearances as a promise. Then He pledges two things to the disciples: Their sorrow would be turned to a lasting joy; and No one will take their joy away from them. In these promises the idea of permanence is attached. The disciples will experience permanent joy in recognizing that Jesus has overcome death itself (16,20). That joy would be the result of the disciples seeing the risen Lord, who will transform their understanding of the cross. And they will also experience the permanent presence of joy in them, through the presence of the Holy Spirit that was promised as a result of Jesus’ departure (14,17). After the resurrection, the disciples, in their repeated encounters with the risen Lord, were truly transformed and courageous. This experience led them to have deeper joy and guidance of the Spirit in their lives. Indeed, the Lord’s perspective of the permanence enabled them to endure suffering for the sake of His kingdom.
