Thursday in the Sixth Week of Easter

The expression “a little while” is repeated seven times in today’s gospel, almost to the point of being annoying.  “Okay, we get it!”  But do we?  When I was younger, just a boy, it used to bother me when old men would say how short life is, how quickly the years go by.  It didn’t seem that way to me when I was in grade school.  Now, in my old age I see how true it is, all of life is just “a little while.”

The Greek word, μικρὸν (mikron), is even stronger, it means very little.1 In one sense it means the time between the death of Jesus and his resurrection.  But the words of Jesus are also intended for all of us. “In a little while we will see him.”  Life is short!  Whatever our current difficulties, they will be over “in a little while” and then we will see him whom our hearts love.  

We live in a fallen world, in paradise lost.  Outwardly we are wasting away, but our light and momentary afflictions will give way to what is now unseen, to companionship with God in life eternal. “The years pass swiftly and they are gone (Psalm 89 (90):9-11).”

So, let us do what St. Benedict teaches: “… as we progress in this way of life and in faith, let us run in the path of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love. Never swerving from his instructions, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his kingdom.” (Prologue of the Holy Rule, 49-50).

“Surely I am coming SOON.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)

  1. Charles Pope, May 12, 2014, website