Thursday, 6th Week in Easter May 9, 2024

Father Rick’s Two Minute Homily for Thursday, 6th Week in Easter

May 9, 2024, John 16:16-20

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050924-thursday.cfm

A Little While. 

I meet with someone who lost a spouse, parent, or sibling almost every week. I wish a magic word or phrase would lift them from their grief. But unfortunately, our words can barely touch what the soul is experiencing through their tears. Those tears slowly but surely wash the sorrow away, but it takes “a little while.” 

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “A little while, and you’ll no longer see me.” There is a vast difference between being away from the Lord and not seeing Him. Only our sins can keep us from being with Jesus.

However, the death of someone close to us draws the Lord Jesus closer to us in our suffering. I can see Him telling the disciples with tears in His eyes that they will not see Him. He carries their grief and sorrow in His Heart even before they no longer see Him—people with relatives in Hospice experience the same sorrow. 

We cannot see Him, but it doesn’t mean He isn’t with us. Think of a child in isolation. Mom and Dad want to hold the baby, but they can’t. Instead, they caress the baby even more in their hearts. The child cannot feel the embrace, but the day will come when the child is no longer isolated. It will be a great day of rejoicing.  

It takes “a little while” for the shock of losing someone to leave. But then, reality sets in as we begin to do things and live without our loved ones. Slowly but with certainty, Jesus fills the emptiness in our hearts with hope.  

Gospel Challenge:

Hope gives us strength in moments when sadness returns. Finally, we begin to “see” that our loved ones are safe and sound with the Lord and are happy for them. One day, we will be with them forever. Jesus promises, “You too will rejoice.”

Love One Another!

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC 
www.bscchurch.com