trouble to joy

Good morning friends,
Today's reading continues Jesus' last words to his disciples. They don't understand what Jesus is talking about when he talks about his death and resurrection. Since we know the story, we do know what to expect, but we can sympathize with the disciples just the same. Jesus explains that the disciples will find themselves at odds with the world, in many things, as it turns out. At many points it will seem like the world is right and the disciples will be troubled. In the end though, the disciples' pain is going somewhere; there hardship is giving birth to something new. Hopefully, the troubles we face in our lives will be productive of something new as well.

Blessings on your new week,
Sam

John 16:16-22

16”A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”


19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? 20Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. 21When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. 22So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.