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Joy That No One Can Steal
Where We Are
Alleluia! Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter continues Jesus's farewell, and now he returns to the image of the woman in labor. Yesterday he spoke of sorrow being turned to joy; today he completes the promise. The child is born, the anguish is forgotten, and the joy is permanent. We are less than ten days from Pentecost, and the readings are building toward that moment when the Spirit pours out upon the Church. In Acts, the Lord speaks to Paul in a night vision at Corinth: "Do not be afraid. I am with you."
The Word
Jesus expands on the image of childbirth he introduced yesterday. A woman giving birth suffers greatly, "but when she has given birth to the child, then she no longer remembers the difficulties, because of the joy: for a man has been born into the world" (John 16:21). Then Jesus applies the image directly: "You shall have sorrow now. But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice. And no one will take away your joy from you." This joy is not fragile happiness; it is joy anchored in the risen Christ, joy that persists because its source is outside the reach of circumstance. And in that day, they will ask the Father directly in Jesus's name, and he will give it.
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Reflect
The progression of Jesus's farewell discourse reaches a beautiful climax here. He began with comfort ("Do not let your heart be troubled"), moved through promise (the Advocate, the vine, peace), and now arrives at joy. But not just any joy: joy that no one can take away.
The key phrase is "I will see you again." The disciples' sorrow is real, but it has an expiration date. The cross is Friday; the resurrection is Sunday. The "little while" of darkness is just that: little. And once they see the Risen Lord, the joy that floods them will be permanent, because it is grounded not in circumstances but in the indestructible life of Christ.
In Acts, Paul receives a similar encouragement. The Lord tells him in a vision not to be afraid, promising that no one will harm him and that many people in Corinth belong to God. Paul stays for a year and a half. The vision does not remove opposition; the Jews drag Paul before Gallio's tribunal. But the case is dismissed, and Paul continues his work. The joy of the mission is not stolen by the hostility.
This pattern is what the Easter season teaches us: joy is not the absence of difficulty. It is the presence of the Risen One in the middle of difficulty. No one can take that away because no one can un-rise Jesus from the dead.
Living It
Name one joy in your life that no circumstance can take away. Maybe it is a relationship, a sense of calling, or the simple knowledge that you are loved by God. Hold that joy in your heart today as an anchor.
When anxiety comes, practice the prayer Jesus teaches here: ask the Father in Jesus's name. Be specific. Be honest. Trust that the Father hears.
If you know someone who is in their "labor" right now, grieving, struggling, or waiting, remind them gently that the pain is real but it has an expiration date. Joy is coming.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you promised us a joy that no one can steal. When sorrow presses in, remind us that you are risen, that you see us, and that you are coming to us. Fill our hearts with the unshakable gladness of your presence. We ask the Father in your name for everything we need today. Amen.
Today's reflection draws from John 16:20-23 and Acts 18:9-18 (CPDV), per the Ordo Lectionum Missae.
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