Today's readings can be found: [HERE].
It's amazing how close our recent days align with our daily gospel passages. It's as if we're living out their spirituality in real time. Of course, that should always be the case. But somehow, in God's plan, our recent sentiments explicitly resonate with the gospel messages.
In our gospel passage today (John 16:20-23), Jesus tells his disciples: "When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you."
Today, we heard news from the Mayor's office that in-person religious services will be permitted again on Oahu come May 23rd, 2020, while respecting the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC. Of course, we're still awaiting further word from the bishop on when exactly each parish in the diocese is allowed to resume public Mass. But the imminent return of public Mass is good news and cause for great rejoicing!
I only see outcries of joy from many people in different forums. And wounds from the apparent absence of public Mass these past months seem almost washed away by the good news. As our Lord said, "On that day you will not question me about anything." Truly, the question of, "how long, O Lord?" has past.
But still, we are called to implore in a very specific way: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you." Now is the time for asking our generous Father for favors. As a community, it has been long since we were last physically together to present our unified prayer to the Father. The time of the great return has come. Certainly, he will hear and answer.
Albrecht Dürer's, Adoration of the Trinity; retrieved from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoration_of_the_Trinity]