“ASK, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL” (John 16:24b)

by Fr. JohnBosco Ezeonwumelu · May 23, 2020

⏰Saturday After Ascension (23 May 2020)

📖Acts 18:23-28; Ps 47:2-3, 8-9, 10; John 16:23b-28

🎤”ASK, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL” (John 16:24b)

Imagine a situation without Jesus after we have been with him for a long time. A close example to this would be the death of loved one especially one to whom we have been dependent to a very large extent. That is a picture of the situation the disciples found themselves since the Ascension of Jesus.

However, Jesus knew that a situation like that would arise and it would bring them so much pain that would attract a mock from the ‘world’. Hence he encouraged them ahead of time, reminding them that his ascension would not mean being taken away from them. It would rather mean that he would be ever present to them.

Therefore, whatever they ask the Father in his name, they will receive, and their pains would be replaced with joy (John 16:24).

Notice a special attention which the evangelist pays to our relationship with the Father in that short pericope (John 16:23-28). The word ‘Father’ appears 7 times there. The first three refers to our smooth connection with the Father while the last four were mentioned in reference to Jesus as the bridge that makes that connection easy.

So the name Jesus is very important for our salvation. That is why the disciples worked hard to lead people into understanding that Jesus is the Christ, that is, the Saviour (cf. Acts 18:23-28).

Let us note that the joy which Jesus talks about would only come from our trust that God, as our Father, would not give us anything that would be harmful to us. It is not that whatever we ask, even if it would be harmful to us, would be given to us. God knows what is good for us, and he will give just that to us (cf. Matt 7:9-11).

May the Holy Spirit enable us to pray as we ought to and guide us to understand the Father’s will for us so that our joy may be complete in him. Amen.

Have a spirit-filled and joyous weekend. Peace be with you.