The Lord uses the analogy of “the waiting” of an expectant mother and the going through the process of labor, to explain the experience of waiting for him during the time he will be away before the final establishment of the Kingdom of God.
The Secret of the Joy No One Will Ever Take Away from You
Expectant mothers, with a life in their wombs, go through a lot before they bring that life into the world. The “waiting” period is a time of trial for them. They have to endure mood swings, heart burn/nausea, bloating, food cravings, fatigue, headaches, backaches, weight gain, insomnia, and also the anxiety of whether the pregnancy will be carried to full term. And when the time for labor comes, it isn’t easy either; they have to endure pain. However, when they endure and give birth, the joy of the new baby makes them forget their pain. The new baby gives them great consolation that whatever they endured was all worth it.
Our gospel today comes on the heels of the Feast of the Ascension. The Lord tells His disciples before His Ascension that they will go through an experience similar to that of an expectant mother , one of patiently waiting for a time when He will be fully present to them. The disciples would go through trials and sorrows and challenges, but if they faithfully endure, they will have better times in future of communion with Him forever. Their hearts will be filled by Christ and they will rejoice. With Christ at the center of their lives, they will enjoy a joy that “No one will take…away from you.” The joy of the world is at the mercy of the world, but the joy that Christ gives is independent of the world!
Enduring with Hope
Today we have an invitation to faithful endurance, especially when we have to deal with trials in our personal and family lives. The Lord invites us to reframe our trials or challenges as a sort of a pregnancy that is about to bring a new life and a beautiful life. If we keep our eyes focused on him, He will be able to give us a joy that no one will ever take away from us!
Today we can ask ourselves: Is there a trial or a challenge you are currently dealing in your life, your family, or career? What is it? Second, we can ask ourselves: What new perspective is Christ inviting me to adopt or to take on as far as my trial or challenge is concerned?
In this Mass, may our Hope in God be renewed. May we be reminded and encouraged always that no matter what the circumstances might be, the Lord has the power to turn our trials and tragedies into blessings. Amen.
- Father Fred's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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