Friday 10 May 2024

Today is Friday 10 May, in the 6th week of Eastertide.

Bifrost Arts sing, ‘Our Song In The Night’. As you listen, can you think of a time God turned your distress into joy?

In the darkness, can you hear us?
When the night comes, are we alone?
Have you forgotten all of your children?
When we remember you, we groan
But our hearts cannot be silent
O God, be our song in the night
When the light is gone
God, be our hope, be our strength
Be our sheltering place
Our song in the night
We are broken, are we forsaken?
Has your love gone down with the sun?
And your mercy through all history
Is it abandoned and undone?
But our hearts cannot be silent
O God, be our song in the night
When the light is gone
God, be our hope, be our strength
Be our sheltering place
Our song in the night
Our song in the night
Our song in the night
Our song in the night
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Your road, it led me down to the Red Sea
The waters trembled, and you made a way
You raised Your arm and led them to dry land
Lord, will You hear us when we say
That our hearts cannot be silent
O God, be our song in the night
When the light is gone
God, be our hope, be our strength
Be our sheltering place
Our song in the night
Our song in the night
Our song in the night
Our song in the night




Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 16:20-23

Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

In today’s passage from the gospel of John, we listen to Jesus as he shows a deep understanding of coming events and how they will affect his friends.

Place yourself with the group, there seems to be a sense of unease, of a need for reassurance. Do you feel this within you?

What emotions arise in you as you hear the Lord’s words?

How does Jesus’ insight speak to you about how the Lord understands our distress?

For those who are close to Jesus, pain and joy are seemingly not incompatible.

Have there been times in your life when you have experienced this transformation from grief to joy?

As we listen to the passage again, reflect on what Jesus is offering. How might you lean on Jesus in times of grief? How may you, in your relationship with the Lord, cultivate a joy that no one can take away?

‘Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.’

As we hear the Lord offering us all that we need, take a few moments to share your needs and concerns in his loving presence.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.