I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice

**media[15504]**REFLECTIONS TODAYTo illustrate the reality of “new life passing through pain,” Jesus gives the example of the process of childbirth. The figure of a mother laboring to give birth to a child is the best model of what Jesus reveals to his disciples, the beauty of the paschal mystery.Just as in childbirth, the cause of the mother’s pain is the baby’s coming to birth, so the motive of joy is the same — the newborn baby! In the paschal mystery of Jesus, the cross was the instrument of his persecution, suffering, and death. But that same cross became the tool for his resurrection, for gaining the new and everlasting life, not only for himself, but for all of us. Certainly, this process is not easily lived through, especially when the “suffering part” is prolonged. Hence, it is then that we cling to the words of Jesus at the end of this episode: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” (v 23). Why not ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us bear the cross that comes our way and reveal to us how this same cross, this suffering, will also be our path to joy and glory?First Reading • Acts 18:9-18 One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision, “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.” He settled there for a year and a half and taught the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him to the tribunal, saying, “This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.” When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews; but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.” And he drove them away from the tribunal. They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official, and beat him in full view of the tribunal. But none of this was of concern to Gallio. Paul remained for quite some time, and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow. Gospel • John 16:20-23 Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025.” SE-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.