The Joy of Perseverance
Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter // May 15th, 2026 // John 16:20-23
It is always striking to notice the places in which Jesus says “amen” twice. As in the beginning of today’s Gospel, whenever Jesus emphasizes “amen, amen,” he is telling us to make sure we pay close attention to what He is about to say; though everything Christ tells us is important, He himself makes sure we know what we should first pay special attention to. While the world rejoices, He tells us, we will be grieving, but that grief will be turned into joy (John 16:20). This, of course, can be seen as referring to the coming Passion of Our Lord. While the worldly powers rejoiced at having killed Jesus, His followers grieved; however, that grief was turned to joy as Jesus resurrected so as to open the door to eternal life with God forever. In addition, we can apply this verse to the daily struggles we experience in our lives. Jesus explains that while the world may keep going without noticing your grief, God still sees you, and that is what matters. God will help you turn any setback you are facing into a reason to rejoice in His love. Everything we go through can be related back to the victory Christ won in His Resurrection, thereby making every hardship worth the struggle.
Jesus goes on to explain that when a woman is in pain before giving birth, she forgets all of that anguish once she does give birth, and that is because of the joy of having her child (John 16:21). When we go through challenges in our lives, it can seem like it is never going to end. It can seem like there is no point to the suffering we face, and in some cases, we can even become angry with the Lord because of this. However, God promises us here that once we get through the pain, we will be overcome with joy because of the fact that we got through it; trials produce strength and trust in God’s merciful love. Anything that pushes us to grow closer to Him is worth it. Once we see God at the end of it, nothing will be able to steal our joy (John 16:22).
The Gospel ends today with Jesus again saying “amen, amen,” emphasizing that whatever we ask the Father in the name of Jesus we will receive (John 16:23). The message is simple: Rely on the victory of Jesus, and God will guide you to perseverance.