Reflection (2)

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                       Reflection (2)         
John 16:20-24

Today, we have very beautiful passage for reflection from gospel according to St. John chapter 16 verses 20 -24.Throughout this chapter, Jesus speaks about the of the Holy Spirit and his influence in our life.
The first verse of today’s Bible passage is like these “You will mourn and weep, but world will rejoice, you will have pain but your pain will turn joy.” If we analyze this verse, there arouse a question in our mind that why the disciples would have sufferings? For what they would be mourning and weeping? If we read through the Bible we come to know that Jesus presence was the real happiness, strength, power and protection for disciples. Their thought was that they were the most secured people in this world because they have seen the power of Jesus through his miracles and teaching. But Jesus know that He would be persecuted and crucified with in some days. So Jesus understood that the disciples would have sufferings in regard of his crucifixion.
 But the interesting that Jesus was not despairing about the situation of his disciples instead of it Jesus was rejoicing. So that Jesus again says like this that their sorrow will turn into joy. Through this verse Jesus intends to say about the descending of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, in Jn. 16:7 we read “It is your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away the advocate will not come to you, but if I go I will send Him to you. Departure of Jesus was indeed a painful experience for disciples, but, through his sufferings and crucifixion He could give salvation as well as Holy Spirit to them. Happiness given by the Holy Spirit is eternal. That is why 22nd verse says “No one will take that joy from you.”   

There is another message that gives by the passage that “There is no Crown without Cross.” Jesus explains it with an example of a pregnant lady. When she is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come but when her child is born she will no longer remember the pain, because of the beautiful gift she has received in the form of a child. So whenever we have sufferings, offer it to God with our prayer intentions and overcome sufferings with the power given by God. Later we come to know that sufferings would be merely some stepping stones for my successes.

And another message given by the passage is seen, in 23rd verse Jesus saying that “Very truly I tell you if you ask anything to the Father in My name it will give it to you.” Ask and you will receive is not mean to be a license for receiving whatever one wants from God; rather it qualified by the phrase ‘In My name’. To ask in the name of Jesus means that we have to be a good follower of Jesus. Then God will provide whatever I need for my better life without even my request
So in this Holy Mass we can pray for to illumine our hearts with the presence of Holy Spirit, we can offer our every problems and sufferings with our prayer intentions. We can pray to become a good disciple of Jesus. May God bless you all.  Amen
                                                                 


                                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                               By,

                                                                               Bro. Jostin Pallai

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