Gone Today, Here Tomorrow

In John's gospel, chapter 16, Jesus says that his disciples will be sad now, while the world will be happy, but that later the disciples will rejoice in their hearts and no one will take that joy from them. Say what?

The world does not much care for the Christ and will be happy to see him gone from there scene. Jesus is about to be crucified. His followers will be saddened at this event, but then there will be Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost. With these events Jesus will live, be raised up, and seen by his disciples, but the ongoing joy that no one can take from them will be that after he Ascension and Pentecost, the Risen Christ will live on in the hearts of the disciples. Through prayer they will recognize this. For a time, the disciples will be looking up or around to see where Jesus went. Then with the Spirit they will recognize him within their hearts. No persecution can take that presence from them. Only lack of prayer can hide it from them. Is it not they with us who have been baptized and confirmed in this same fire of Spirit?