SADNESS AND GLADNESS

John 16: 16-24   “In a little while you will not see me anymore, and then a little while later you will see me.”  Some of his disciples asked among themselves, “what does this mean? He tells us that in a little while we will not see him, and then a little while later we will see him and he also says, ‘it is because I am going to the Father.’ What does this ‘a little while’ mean? We don’t know what he is talking about!”.

Jesus knew  that they wanted to question him, so he said to them, “I said, ‘in a little while you will not see me, and then a little while later you will see me.’ Is this what you are asking among yourselves? I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness. When a woman is about to give birth, she is sad because her hour of suffering has come; but when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering, because she is happy that a baby has been born into the world.  That is how it is with you: now you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you.

“When that day comes, you will not ask me for anything. I am telling you the truth: the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your happiness may be complete.

O Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise. Psalm 51:15