JOY COMES AFTER SORROWS.
JOY COMES AFTER SORROWS.
THE GOODNEWS:
"Jesus said to his disciples: “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.” (John 16: 20 - 23).
Friday 15th May 2026 in the 6th Week in the Easter Season.
In the Gospel of today, we encounter Jesus and His disciples still huddled together in the Upper Room celebrating His last Supper.
Jesus is departing from His disciples who would no onger be able to encounter Him in the familiar manner they had been accustomed.
Pope St Leo the Great, in his catechesis on the Ascension, teaches that it is the will of God that after the Ascension, the disciples of Jesus will now recognize and encounter Jesus only through the Holy Sacraments.
In the Sacraments, Jesus remains for us in a visible sacramental form. (Sacramentum). The Mysterium affected by the EPICLESIS is invisible and is accessible through faith.
In the Last Supper, Jesus used all types of promises to reasure His disciples.
They must wait patiently for the fruition of their work as a pregnant woman understands that she must wait patiently for the baby to be ready or the farmer wait for the crops to mature for harvest.
The last promise of Jesus on this occasion is breathtaking.
"Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”
The promises and teachings of Jesus on Prayer and on Asking is substantial.
1. Prayer is a vital necessity.
2. Pray with expectant faith.
When you understand the truth of the above principles, you will come to experience the truth that Prayer is the Activator of Power.
Welcome the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the God in us Who prompts us to pray for something at the very time God is ready to make that gift to us.
I will share here two experiences about Prayer.
I can only experience the joy of childbirth by analogy since I am not a woman. I can say that the joy of answered prayer is the most intense joy I have been blessed with.
I have experienced the joy of answered prayers a couple of times in my life.
The second thing I want to state about prayer is that most of the important things and cherished experiences I have enjoyed in life have come through Prayer.
John Flavel, a great teacher of the 16th century on Divine Providence taught that Prayer honors Providence and Providence honors Prayer. This is true. There is an intrinsic imperative that Prayer is the Activator of Power. When you pray, something happens.
The Holy Spirit Novena starts tomorrow, Friday May 15th. Make the most of it and you will laugh for joy!
The Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Month of May.
“Come, Holy Spirit, through the intercession of Mary, your faithful spouse.
Fill our hearts with your light, strengthen our faith, and make us living temples of your grace.
Lead us always to Jesus, who lives and reigns with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Honor Mary through the Holy Rosary, Litany, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Consecration to The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pilgrimages, etc.
For the Litany, 15 Promises of Mary, Consecration Prayer, etc and Prayer intentions click the link below:
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