Reflection for Thursday May 25, Sixth Week of Easter: John 16:16-20

Gospel: John 16:16-20

Jesus said to his disciples: "A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" So they said, "What is this 'little while' of which he speaks? We do not know what he means." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy."

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Reflection:

Are you afraid to be separated from someone you love?

Separation from someone we’ve idolized or loved is one of the hardest feelings that we can ever experience. For example when a close relative dies it’s as if a part of us dies as well, thus we will feel incomplete from thereon. That’s how heart wrenching some separations are.

Here in the gospel Jesus was saying goodbye already to his disciples for He knew that He would soon be arrested, tortured and be killed.  However, He was also saying that a little while later you will also see me, He was referring about His resurrection three days after He dies.

Unlike permanent separation from a friend or relative who dies, the disciples’ separation from Jesus was temporary for He resurrected from the dead after three days. We make  Jesus always present and alive within ourselves when we follow His teachings. And when we make a positive impact in the lives of others especially the poor.

Let us always allow Jesus to be seen and felt within us through our humility and humble acts of selfless service for others. – Marino J. Dasmarinas