From: John 16:16-20
Fullness of Joy
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [16] “A little while, and you will see Me no more;
again a little while, and you will see Me.” [17] Some of His disciples said to one
another, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me,
and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
[18] They said, “What does He mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what He
means.” [19] Jesus knew they wanted to ask Him; so He said to them, “Is this
what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you
will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? [20] Truly, truly,
I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sor-
rowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”
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Commentary:
16-20. Earlier our Lord consoled the disciples by assuring them that He would
send them the Holy Spirit after He went away (verse 7). Now He gives them fur-
ther consolation: He is not leaving them permanently, He will come back to stay
with them. However, the Apostles fail to grasp what He means, and they ask
each other what they make of it. Our Lord does not give them a direct explana-
tion, perhaps because they would not understand what He meant (as happened
before: cf. Matthew 16:21-23 and paragraph). But He does emphasize that though
they are sad now they will soon be rejoicing: after suffering tribulation they will be
filled with a joy they will never lose (cf. John 17:13). This is a reference primarily
to the Resurrection (cf. Luke 24:41), but also to their definitive encounter with
Christ in Heaven.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
In some dioceses the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today. If this applies to you, please reconfigure Universalis to use the appropriate local calendar.
| First reading |
Acts 18:1-8 © |
| Paul lodged with them and worked, and held debates in the synagogues |
Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, where he met a Jew called Aquila whose family came from Pontus. He and his wife Priscilla had recently left Italy because an edict of Claudius had expelled all the Jews from Rome. Paul went to visit them, and when he found they were tentmakers, of the same trade as himself, he lodged with them, and they worked together. Every sabbath he used to hold debates in the synagogues, trying to convert Jews as well as Greeks.
After Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his time to preaching, declaring to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. When they turned against him and started to insult him, he took his cloak and shook it out in front of them, saying, ‘Your blood be on your own heads; from now on I can go to the pagans with a clear conscience.’ Then he left the synagogue and moved to the house next door that belonged to a worshipper of God called Justus. Crispus, president of the synagogue, and his whole household, all became believers in the Lord. A great many Corinthians who had heard him became believers and were baptised.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 97(98):1-4 © |
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
or
Alleluia!
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
or
Alleluia!
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
or
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again.
Death has no power over him any more.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;
I go, but I will come back to you,
and your hearts will be full of joy.
Alleluia!
| You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy |
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘In a short time you will no longer see me,
and then a short time later you will see me again.’
Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean, “In a short time you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again” and, “I am going to the Father”? What is this “short time”? We do not know what he means.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said, ‘You are asking one another what I meant by saying: In a short time you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
you will be weeping and wailing
while the world will rejoice;
you will be sorrowful,
but your sorrow will turn to joy.’