💖 HOMILY - MAY 29 💖

First Reading - Acts 18:1-8

Gospel - John 16:16-20

Life often leaves us with more questions than answers. We encounter struggles, face delays, endure silence, and wrestle with pain. These moments, wrapped in mystery, test our endurance and shake our faith. Among these is the mystery of suffering—a reality that each of us faces, but never fully understands. The readings today invite us not to escape suffering, but to face it with deep trust in Jesus, who promises that sorrow will not have the final word.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to his disciples during the Last Supper, preparing them for the painful “little while” they are about to endure. This “little while” refers to the time between his death and resurrection—a time that would bring confusion, fear, and heartbreak. The disciples cannot make sense of his words, just as we often cannot make sense of our own moments of grief and loss. But Jesus assures them that this suffering is temporary. He does not deny the reality of sorrow, but he places it within the broader horizon of joy. Like a mother who endures labor for the joy of new life, so too will their sadness give way to a joy that no one can take away. The same is true for us. In our “little while” of pain, Jesus invites us to trust in the promise of resurrection and hope.

The first reading echoes this same spirit of perseverance in suffering. Paul and his companions, full of zeal to proclaim the Gospel, meet a cold and even hostile response from the Jews. They could have stopped, discouraged by rejection and disappointment. But instead, they shift their focus. Refusing to allow failure to paralyze them, they turn to the Gentiles, who receive the message with open hearts. Their resilience is not rooted in pride or stubbornness but in deep trust that God's mission will not fail. Their confidence is in the One who called them, not in the immediate results.

We all experience our own “little whiles.” Perhaps it’s a season of waiting—waiting for healing, for clarity, for justice, or for peace. Perhaps it’s a time of silence, when God seems distant. Or maybe it’s a burden we carry—sickness, broken relationships, or the ache of unanswered prayers. In those moments, we are tempted to believe the darkness will last forever. But today’s Gospel reminds us that God’s timeline is not ours. What we see as delay is often preparation. What we fear as abandonment is often a path toward deeper faith.

Let us then, like the disciples, cling to the words of Jesus. Let us, like Paul, remain steadfast in our mission and not give in to discouragement. The “little while” may test us, but it cannot destroy us—because Jesus has already conquered the grave. The joy he promises is not fleeting, not shallow, not imagined. It is the joy that comes after the storm, the joy of resurrection, the joy of his abiding presence.

So today, let us not be overwhelmed by the mystery of time or suffering. Let us not allow our sorrows to close us off from hope. Instead, let us place our confidence in Jesus. He does not remove every hardship, but he walks with us through every trial, turning our mourning into dancing and our silence into song.

Let’s pray for the grace to trust in Jesus through every “little while,” knowing that joy will return and that his presence never fails.