Rejoice and Be Glad

"Blessed are you who suffer and mourn, for one day you will laugh." ~Luke 6:21



Imagine you were blessed with a final gift from a loved one. You had a voicemail or a call saying, "Good-bye, I love you."



Now imagine, you never got that gift. Imagine you could not locate your loved one. You went to the site where that person was last seen. You called his or her name. You made a sign with his or her picture and the words: "Missing."



It was six years ago. For many it might have been yesterday. There is no time limit on suffering and mourning our losses. There are doubtless many widows and widowers who still sleep on their "side" of the bed. There are also many who may have found new love out of the ashes of disasters. There are probably many children who still call out at night from a nightmare to a parent who physically is no longer there to comfort them. There are others, who can tell you matter-of-factly that their father or mother was taken in the terrorist attacks.



But as Jesus promises, those who suffer, those who mourn, will laugh again. Although it is hard to think that one day, anyone who suffered such a loss would be able to feel blessed by it and be able to rejoice, one day that time will come.



"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdensm and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." ~Matthew 11:28-30