Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-20)
Weeping is caused by secretion of fluid from the lachrymal glands. The action lubricates the surface of the eyeball. But exactly how this helps the one who cries is an open question. Some experts say that weeping is merely a response to strong emotions. Others claim that it serves a physiological purpose by removing hormones associated with stress.
Self-examination associates crying with loss of affection. For this reason, parents sob at the weddings of their children, and survivors weep at funerals of their loves ones. In this vain Jesus in the gospel today anticipates the tears of his disciples on the night before his death. “(Y)ou will weep and mourn…but your grief will come to joy,” he tells them knowing that the resurrection will follow his crucifixion on the next day.
In a different gospel and context Jesus assures us, “Blessed are they who mourn for they will be comforted.” He has the same reward in mind that he promises in today’s passage. When our tears express a love for Jesus that plays out in service to one another, we can be assured that they will end in our glory.
Showing posts with label weeping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weeping. Show all posts
Homilette for Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-20)
We know the mechanism of weeping. It is caused by secretion of fluid from the lachrymal glands to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and the eyelid. But exactly why people cry is an open question. Some say simply that it is a response to strong emotions. Others, proceeding from biochemical analysis, claim that it removes hormones associated with stress.
Self-introspection associates crying with loss of affection. We cry when those who love us take their leave. So parents sob at weddings, and the bereaved weep at funerals. For this reason Jesus anticipates the tears of his disciples on the night before his death in the gospel today.
In another gospel and with a different context Jesus tells his disciples, “Blessed are they who mourn for they will be comforted.” The result of tear-shedding in both cases, however, is the same. Crying will not necessarily produce heavenly comfort, but it does when the cause of the tears is the need for Jesus to direct us through moral turmoil and to share our suffering. Also, we must remember that he is not completely gone. Rather he has sent his Spirit to accompany us. The Holy Spirit brings us a foretaste of the joy which comes to fullness as we enter eternal life.
(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-20)
We know the mechanism of weeping. It is caused by secretion of fluid from the lachrymal glands to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and the eyelid. But exactly why people cry is an open question. Some say simply that it is a response to strong emotions. Others, proceeding from biochemical analysis, claim that it removes hormones associated with stress.
Self-introspection associates crying with loss of affection. We cry when those who love us take their leave. So parents sob at weddings, and the bereaved weep at funerals. For this reason Jesus anticipates the tears of his disciples on the night before his death in the gospel today.
In another gospel and with a different context Jesus tells his disciples, “Blessed are they who mourn for they will be comforted.” The result of tear-shedding in both cases, however, is the same. Crying will not necessarily produce heavenly comfort, but it does when the cause of the tears is the need for Jesus to direct us through moral turmoil and to share our suffering. Also, we must remember that he is not completely gone. Rather he has sent his Spirit to accompany us. The Holy Spirit brings us a foretaste of the joy which comes to fullness as we enter eternal life.
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