From Lauds (Morning Prayer), Jeremiah 31

The young girl will dance for joy,
young men and old men too.
“I will turn their weeping into gladness,” says the Lord,
“I will comfort them and give them joy after sorrow.”

This world, at times, can seem like a constant burden of sorrows. And, we can come to feel alone and forgotten in our sorrow. We may even blame God for allowing sorrow into our lives.

But, we must remember that God became flesh in Jesus Christ, not to bring us sorrow, but to walk with us and love us through our sorrow, and to lift us out of sin and death.

At the empty tomb, God makes real Her plan for us, to turn our weeping into gladness. And whatever sorrow we may face in this world, God walks with us in our pain, patiently, lovingly, until we once again dance for joy.

Holy Spirit be with us, and fill us to overflowing with the love and light of Christ in the midst of any sorrows we may face in this world, that we may have strength and courage in the midst of our pain, until we once again dance with joy at being God’s beloved children. Amen.