Joy Stronger than Pain

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 18:9-18 ~~~ Psalm 47 ~~~ 

~~~ John 16:20-23 ~~~

But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.

God told Paul in a vision to not be afraid...
to go on speaking of Jesus.
In today's Gospel we hear about our mourning turning into joy.

When we are facing trials and suffering in our life
we should cling to this message of being not afraid...
We should trust that our suffering is actually temporary.

But I will see you again...

Jesus is telling us he will see us again,
but the promise of the Resurrection implies that
we will see our loved ones as well.
Our loved ones who have gone before us
already know the joy that we seek.

...your hearts will rejoice...

When we see Jesus in heaven our hearts will rejoice
any fear and sadness previously experienced will be forgotten.

The pain a woman experiences during childbirth
 pales in comparison to the joy of giving birth to her child.

In this the joy far surpasses the physical pain.

...no one will take your joy away from you...

When you find true joy no one can take it away.
The martyrs went to their brutal deaths
with joy in their hearts.
They overcame their fears
because they believed they
 would be in heaven with Jesus.

If you do not believe that you will see Jesus again
there is little reason to believe in the after life.

Our joy can be greater than our pain and fears.
Grace nourishes our joy.
Grace keeps our supply of joy alive in our soul.

Our joy is not dependent on our physical existence.
Our joy must come from the Divine source of love.

Blessed with a joy that
sustains me in times of fear.

~~~Peace~~~