From the responsorial psalm: “The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God gives a home to the forsaken; he leads forth prisoners to prosperity. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 16:29-33)
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
The disciples believe they are coming to understand what Jesus is telling them about going back to the Father. Yet, they cannot see what Christ sees in the coming days of his passion, death, and resurrection. Because of associating with him, they will find themselves abandoning and denying him, isolating themselves, and ultimately being persecuted by religious leaders as his followers. Soon, they would have more trouble than they could handle alone—the trouble in the world that Jesus speaks of. In the midst of this, Jesus wishes them peace, not liberation from trouble but peace in the midst of the firing line. Is there unavoidable trouble today in your life where only Christ can give you peace and courage? That is his gift.
Father in heaven, even as the disciples believed they had their questions about Jesus answered, they were lost. Jesus redirected their gaze toward belief in him and in you. “But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” When I am scattered to my own home—that is, isolated through rejection of you—grant me the peace and courage I need to pick up where I left off and try again. In his mercy, Jesus knows the answer to the trouble the world would assault the disciples with, and he knows the answer to my particular troubles. Grant me the grace, Lord, to hear and take to heart the words of Jesus to know his presence: “Take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.