Reflection: Mark 16:20-23

Mark 16:20-23 – Friday of the 6th Week of Easter

Take a moment and remember a difficult time in your life. This may have been a time when you experienced an illness, difficult challenges in a relationship or a loss of some sort, be that a loss of a job, a friend or a death of a loved one. What were the emotions you experienced during this time: anger, fear, sadness, grief or loss? Did you have a sense of the presence of God, Jesus or the Spirit with you at this time? Or did you simply feel lost, alone, afraid, or empty?

In today’s reading, Jesus warns his disciples that difficult days will come for them. There will be times when they will weep, mourn and grieve. Yet, there also will be times when their grief will be transformed into joy. To help his disciples understand, Jesus uses the image of a woman who is in labor with her child. Yes, the labor is difficult and the pain excruciating! However, when her child comes forth from the womb, there is no greater joy! A new life has come into the world! A tremendous gift was born from all that pain!

Jesus wants his disciples to know and believe that after their difficult days of his crucifixion and death, new life will come forth for them! Jesus also wants us to know and believe that after our “difficult days,” we also will experience “new life.” We once again will “see him” and experience his presence with us. And we will be able to rejoice when Jesus comes gifting us with new life and hope!

Our part is to trust and be watchful and alert to his coming. However, this often is easier said than done. We may “know” Jesus will come again. However, when life is difficult and painful, we may not have the ability to trust that new life and hope will ever return to us. Often the journey to new life is long, barren and arduous. However, if we truly trust Jesus, we will stay on the journey with him despite the difficulty and the pain!

How great is our trust in Jesus, especially when we don’t “see” Him or experience His presence? Yet, the reality is: Jesus is always with us! And today Jesus is certain to come to us! Will our minds, eyes and hearts be open to his coming? He will come! However, we have to be awake and alert! Will we choose to “stay awake” until He comes?