Mike's Gospel Reflection for Sunday, May 18, 2025

The image that John provides in the second reading this weekend is that the “New Jerusalem” will be like “a bride adorned for her husband.” It is a joyful picture which speaks of the great celebration of the perfect marriage between God and His people. This marriage is only made possible after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Like any good husband, God will “fix” things for his bride. John tells us that “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain.” This sounds amazing. Yet, we often read this passage at funeral masses when tears are still flowing and everyone in the church is impacted by death, in mourning, and in pain. At that time, in that place, it doesn’t feel like God has conquered death, but we know that scripture is true and trustworthy. How does this all make sense?

This is another instance of our faith helping us to see things from two different perspectives. On one hand, we mourn the loss of our loved one. That is our pain to bear here and now, in this rather challenging, but temporary, world. At the same time, we rejoice over the great promise of our loved one being with God forever as part of the New Jerusalem, and the further promise that one day we will all be present in that New Jerusalem, forming the one body of His adorned spouse, as the eternal object of His perfect love. A spouse who will never again experience death, mourning or pain. A spouse who will be with Him always.

The hardest thing for us to do in this world is to accept the imperfections, challenges, tragedies, sorrows, and pain of this world. When we face trials, we understandably ask, “Where is God?” We focus on how much it hurts today and have little patience for how much better things will be in the “New Jerusalem.” The Gospel reminds us that Jesus endured suffering and death for the glory of God and to fulfill the promise of the New Jerusalem. He physically stayed with the apostles “only a little while longer,” but He left his love to support and comfort them. He encouraged them, and encourages us, to rely on His love to overcome the harshness of this world.

Fr. Mike