A Little While – Reflection on John 16:16-20
As we more deeply understand how to let Jesus rise within us, the greater we can know the joy that fills us. Necessary in this cycle is an internal processing of our inner strengths that we will need to deal with the world’s effort to defeat us. For some, this is a relentless hammering. Hearing Jesus say “in a little while” helps represent a fractional sharing of Jesus’s pain, weeping, and mourning journey. However, more importantly, His Glorius rising offsets the surrounding negatives. Like Jesus’s disciples, we can understand how even a willingness to try to do so also yields a personal victory. The result yields rejoicing with Christ and receiving and giving unconditional love.
My Soul is Sorrowful unto Death by James Tissot (full resolution image of painting).
More details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
Additional Eastertide Reflections
John 16:16-20 – Scripture*
Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16 “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 Then 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’?” 18 They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus 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’? 20 Very 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.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel and reading this Lectio Divina on John 16:16-20 Reflection – A Little While.
Would you like to contribute related thoughts to these Lectio reflections on the Gospel readings? Since Lectio is not the only contemplative prayer style, others might appreciate these expressions in this ministry. Do you see God’s grandeur everywhere and unconditionally enjoy sharing the love of Christ that you have inside? Are you willing to be anonymous in what you would share? If so, email me.
Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities experience your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite the world’s distractions.
Attributions
*This site has permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible John 16 passage.
The Immersive Prayer website follows the guidelines for image web use at the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum websites.
Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities experience your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite worldly distractions.
Attributions
Primary Lectio Divina word or phrase: A Little While
Page and discussion group on these Lectio Divina daily Gospel Readings.
Discussion group on St. John of the Cross.