Turning Sorrow into Joy - Family Reflection Video

Human life, in many cases, seems to be an undulating movement, a falling apart, a pulling together, a gloomy night, and then a sunny day. And in our own lives, going away from God and coming back to God.

Yesterday, I talked to a young man who felt shattered by the denial of love and the probable separation and divorce he may have to go through within the short period of his married life. His many hopes have been shattered or deferred. The hope of a long, happy married life, the hope of saying "I am sorry," the hope of saying "I love you," the hope of having a chance to say, "Please forgive me." Many of us can surely relate to one, or more, of these experiences of hope. But there is good news! 

 We have Jesus on our side. He knows what it is to experience pain and loss. He is our sure hope.  We have seen Jesus weeping over the death of his friend Lazarus. In today’s Gospel, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem for the failure of the Jews to recognize the saving power of God in their midst. In the first reading from Revelation, St. John weeps over the sealed scroll but is given hope. Hope in Christ, who has power over sin and death, pain and loss. 

 Like St. John, we too can find hope. St. Paul told the early Christians that the Scriptures were written to give us hope (Romans 15:4-13) and that hope is given through grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16). Thomas Merton explained, "This hope is the confidence which He creates in our souls as secret evidence that He has taken possession of us."  This hope can help us rise above our pain and loss.     

 The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Hope is the ‘sure and steadfast anchor of the soul... that enters … where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.’ Hope is also a weapon that protects us in the struggle for salvation: ‘Let us… put on the breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.’ Hope affords us joy even under trial: ‘Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation’” (CCC 1820).  

 Turning to God in prayer can give us hope and help us transform our sorrow into joy.  

• Today's Readings

• Father Pinto's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.) 

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