Gospel Reflection – Thursday, May 29, 2025

Just a Little While

In a kind of tongue-twister of expressions, Jesus speaks of joy and sadness. For many of us, it’s easy to feel happy about something small: a success at work, a bit of good luck, buying something new, or a special visit. But many of these things are short-lived. They end quickly, and then we’re off searching for the next pleasure.

Just think of all the local festivals, the explosion of celebrity gossip shows or reality TV, the constant stream of pictures on social media showing how great people are eating or vacationing, and how much time we spend online… None of this is morally wrong in itself. But it’s often not lasting, and it might even be a huge waste of time—even if it brings us a bit of short-term pleasure.

When Jesus says “in a little while,” He means something very different. At first, it may feel like forever. “You will be sad,” He says. Sadness, too, can be brief and caused by small things: losing your keys, bumping into something, someone speaking to you rudely… and then it passes.

But there’s another kind of sadness—the deep kind: grief from loss, separation, conflict, war, or personal wounds. That kind of pain doesn’t feel like it lasts only a little while. It can feel endless. And yet, in Jesus’ words, “your sadness will turn into joy,” lies the hope we hold onto.

What we’re going through now—even the deepest sorrow—is “just a little while,” because we believe that the presence of the Risen Christ will transform it into joy. And not the short-lived kind of joy, but the deepest joy possible: the joy of the Spirit promised by Jesus. A joy that nothing and no one can take away.

Jesus’ “little whiles” are actually about eternity. Pain (not the feeling of sadness, but real suffering) may always be part of life in one form or another. But true joy is also always present. We just need to recognize it.

It’s not about the passage of time—it’s about how we see, and the kind of spirit we carry.