Grief to Joy
Thursday of the Sixth Week in Easter
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 16:16-20- Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
Often when the Scriptures refer to “the world” they are referring to everything on earth, particularly mankind, living under sin. Christians are fundamentally opposed to “the world,” the anti-Christian life all around us. We have to get it through our heads that to be Christians necessarily means living differently from the world. We cannot have the full blessings of Christ and still be a lover of the world and its promises. This is what Jesus means when He says, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24).
This doesn’t mean that we can’t own houses, go to movies, play sports, buy nice clothes, eat out, take a vacation, or do many other things that give us pleasure or comfort or convenience on earth. But it does mean that we can’t make pleasure, comfort, or convenience our goal. That’s the world’s goal. Our goal is different. Christ is our goal. If the earth’s goods bring us closer to Him, we should use them. If the earth’s goods harm or dull our faith, they have to go. The Christians path is different because our goal is different.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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