Cry out with joy to God!
We notice how the readings of this Sunday’s liturgy resound with joy and peace. The Opening Prayer, the First Reading and the Psalm all speak of this joy, which has been with us in the liturgy throughout Eastertide, and now overflows here into Ordinary Time. It is the joy that the disciples experience when they see the Risen Christ. It is the joy that Christians experience when we celebrate the Eucharist.
The First Reading speaks of peace flowing ‘like a river’; a peace that also accompanies the disciples in the Gospel as they travel through the different towns, curing the sick and announcing the Good News.
The Psalm encourages us to ‘cry out with joy’, and echoes the rejoicing we see in the other readings.
Though Paul does not mention joy in the Second Reading, he reflects on the peace and mercy experienced by those who are part of ‘the new creation’.
As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year, we pray especially for all who, like the disciples, take the joy of the Good News to people who have yet to meet Christ. We also pray for those who cannot find joy and peace in their life.
