Word to the Wise
Friday, May 19, 2023 - 6th Week of Easter - Fri
[Acts 18:9-18 and John 16:20-23]"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." [John]
Friends of mine have sent me pictures of mom and baby shortly after giving birth (sometimes even texts from the delivery room during labor). The joy Jesus speaks of is evident. However, unless there has been an epidural procedure, I'm not sure the mom has forgotten the pain! What might escape notice in the image is the reference to "her hour." Jesus speaks of his own "hour" in the Gospel According to John, initially, at the wedding feast at Cana. [John 2:4] "My hour has not yet come." The Last Supper discourse is designed to prepare the disciples for Jesus' "hour." (The Greek term for "hour" in this sense is kairos, in contrast to chronos, the latter meaning clock time.)
On retreats, I speak to that distinction and ask the retreatants to think about "What time is it in your life?" In common parlance we speak of "significant milestones": certain birthdays, graduations, weddings, deaths. While these mark the passage of time, they also mark "moments" when life seems to change. Jesus' "hour" is his death and resurrection. Grief will seize the fearful disciples, but joy will come with his resurrection and appearances. Another kairos moment will occur with the coming of the Holy Spirit, which we will celebrate at Pentecost soon. For the moment, we can celebrate Jesus' "shout out" to Moms and Babies who successfully navigate gestation and birth to bring joy to the world. AMEN