Friday of the 6th week of Eastertide

Sacrifice

John 16:20-23

There are two kinds of sacrifices as there are two kinds of poverty.  There is poverty caused by selfishness and unequal distribution of goods.  But the other kind of poverty is one freely chosen by religious and saints, that of evangelical poverty.  In this, a Christian wants to align himself or herself with the poverty of Jesus and focus on the work of salvation as Jesus did.

Same is true with sacrifice.  The negative form of sacrifice is caused by injustices people experience from oppressive systems.  But the positive form of sacrifice arises from one's free decision to offer time, talent, and treasure and opt for poverty and to suffer with the poor with an intention to help free them from slavery.

A person who freely embraces a life of sacrifice aligns his life with Jesus who sacrificed everything just to free us from sin and save us.  That's why he became flesh, carrying with him all human imperfections so as to enter into our world and help us through.

This is what Jesus said in today's gospel, "‘I tell you most solemnly, you will be weeping and wailing
while the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy."

Let us focus on the positive aspect of suffering or sacrifice.  The sacrifices we offer now account for the joy that the world will experience in embracing the cross of Jesus.

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