A Time to Mourn

Gospel: John 16: 20-23

We are told in today's Gospel portion that the world will rejoice while followers of Jesus mourn.  There are many instances in which this takes place.  The world rejoices over the wealth and excess that is had at the exploitation and degradation of so many people.  The world rejoices over the slaughter and carnage of war and execution that creates poverty, refugees, and orphans.  It is for these things that the followers of Jesus mourn and weep.  

The world seeks grand ballrooms and arches, stadiums and areas of entertainment extravaganza - all of which hold priority over things like health care, affordable housing, education, and transportation needs for average people.  The world will get its trinkets of ostentation while neglecting the needs of the poor and marginalized.  It will rejoice over such things.  And the follower of Jesus will - should - mourn and weep over these injustices.  

We look to the heavens for help, just as the first followers of Jesus did in seeing him ascend to the heavens.  But they came to realize through the inspiration of the Spirit that now it is for us to go about and do the works of healing in the world as Jesus did: to heal those who are sick, to liberate those oppressed by the demons of the world, and to feed the starving masses.  Yes, we mourn for the injustices of the world, but we take up the towel and basin as well to be a light in the darkness.