Easter 4thS,May 15,11

Easter4th,S.May15,11

Easter 4^th S, May15,11

(Jn.16:16-24)

The cry of David, bemoaning the death of his son, “Absalom, Absalom” will always be echoed in the corridors of our mind. We can hear in those words of wailing the pangs of the broken heart of a father. “Absalom, Absalom” has also become the title of a classic work in American fiction. The deaths of our beloved ones leave in our hearts irreparable pain. Our hearts groan in the darkness of nights when we lose people who are close to us, parents, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. Words are powerless to soothe the pain arising from such heart-breaks.

Jesus knew that his disciples would become heart broken and would reach the depths of helplessness through his crucifixion and death. Hence, he takes time to forewarn them about things that would happen and comfort them by telling them that all will not be over by his death. There are more chapters to his life than his crucifixion and death..

Jesus makes them understand that his Resurrection will be the strongest reason for their joy. The risen Jesus is eternal and immutable, beyond the ravages of time. It is this protection of his risen presence that He is offering to them

To all of us, struggling and grappling with the challenges and problems of life, Jesus offers protection and comfort. Often, caught in the midst of loss of jobs, financial insecurity, or of sicknesses, we find ourselves without any moorings and adrift in the sea of hardships. There are times in our lives when we feel lonely and troubled because of hateful attitudes or abusive attacks from colleagues and neighbors. In those moments we are at a loss to find peace and strength in our lives. It is then the words of Jesus become more meaningful and powerful: “I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you.”

The joy of the Resurrection can only be experienced in the background of the Cross. It is the suffering and death of Jesus that made the glorious phenomenon of the Resurrection such a stupendous experience.

We can understand and experience the joy of the Resurrection more meaningfully when we pass through rejection, suffering and solitude. It is when we think we are all alone or the whole world is against us or when we are condemned without any reason, that we really experience the joy of the Resurrection as Jesus reaches out to us, reminding us that He will never forsake us. Resurrection makes us understand that nothing on earth can any more take away the joy and peace from our hearts as long as we believe in him and walk with him. Jesus is the anchor of our life and the fortress of our protection.

Without any ambiguity or reservation, He tells us that whatever we ask in His name will be granted to us by our heavenly Father.

Spiritual transformation has to happen in the depths of our souls. We have to repent of our sins and reconcile ourselves with our neighbors.

Archbishop Sheen expresses the need for reconciliation and forgiveness to experience peace and joy in our hearts: “There are so many unwashed dishes in the sink of our consciences; our souls look like unmade beds. But if only once we would be humble enough to look inside and admit the mess, we would see how God can write straight with our crooked lines.”