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Gospel: John 16: 16-20
Jesus said to his disciples:
“A little while and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while later and you will see me.”
So some of his disciples said to one another,
“What does this mean that he is saying to us,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me,’
and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks?
We do not know what he means.”
Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them,
“Are you discussing with one another what I said,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me’?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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I’m we all know the story of Cinderella. There’s something incredibly Christian about it, as one of the major themes is the reversal of fortunes.
In the beginning, Cinderella is held prisoner in her own home. Her evil stepsisters force her to scrub the floors, to wash their clothes, to make their beds, and to serve them dinner. But, in the end, Cinderella’s fortune is reversed.
She becomes a princess.
That’s the type of story anyone can root for, when the poor become rich, the underdog wins, a servant becomes a princess.
Cinderella’s evil stepsisters also experience a reversal of their fortune. After Cinderella becomes a princess, they are forced out of her home, ending up with nothing.
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This same idea is at the heart of our Christian faith.
In the Gospel, Jesus has reached the final night of his life on earth. He’s done nothing but good; he’s healed the sick, forgiven sinners, even raised Lazarus from the dead. But hours from now he’ll be nailed to a tree.
Jesus promises his disciples, his fortune will be reversed. Three days later, he’ll rise from the dead. Then he promises his followers the same blessing if they remain faithful to his teachings.
Jesus instructs his disciples to forgive their enemies; to turn the other cheek; to serve their neighbor; to share blessings; and to pray for those who persecute them.
“You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices,” Jesus says. “You will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
Your fortune will be reversed.
So, embrace whatever life has in store for you today with joy, knowing our best days are ahead.
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Image credits: (1) Ivanrest Church (2) Cinderella, Disney Inc. (3) Lake Park Lutheran church