Breaking the Word

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. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. "I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." (Jn 16:23-28)

Jesus came from the father. Jesus is sure of his origin and he is continuously aware of it and he constantly affirms it. It is in this that Jesus shows his fidelity to the father. Because of this he is able to assure his listeners that whatever anyone asks the father in his name will be granted to him.

Jesus came into the world. Jesus did not go into any empty place. He came into the world where people are. He came into the world that was created by God. The world itself had some link with the father and Jesus came into the world because God had sent him into this world with a mission.

Jesus was going back to the father. Jesus was sure of his destiny as he was sure of his origin. His whole life was centred around the father. That is he came from the father and he had a mission from the father and he was going back to the father. Father was everything for Jesus.  

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. (Jn 16:20-23)

Weeping, mourning and grief are relative. They are also not eternal. They are for a short time only. They are time bound. It is interesting that Jesus makes such an affirmative statement about these facts. He says “Amen, Amen, I say to you…”. This is one of the revelations that Jesus makes to his disciples. They should not get stuck to their own sufferings and problems.

Grief will turn to Joy. The sufferings of the disciples are for a positive and joy-bringing cause. Sufferings and pain are not to destroy the disciples and not to lead them to despair. They are like the mother in travail. Suffering for that mother is real but the reality that comes with that is more positive and life-giving that the suffering is not noticed. Similarly the sufferings of the disciples are also. The disciples should think of the positive and good effects that come out of the suffering.

Jesus will come back is the joyous news for the disciples that will take away all anguish. Presence of Jesus is such a joy that it cannot be taken away from the disciples. Presence of Jesus is a joy that is all fulfilling and all rewarding and all revealing that there will be no more questions; no more anxieties and worries.