It seems a contradiction, that in order to gain, we must first lose. That is the message Jesus gave his disciples when he ascended away from them. "If I do not go, the spirit will not come" (Jn 16: 6). It is as if Jesus is saying, yes, there will be losses. But there will also be gains. That indeed is good news.
All of us have had our losses. We each handle it differently. Jesus' words about going away, about loss, is heartening to me, because it is a reminder to hope. Perhaps this is Jesus way of telling us that when we experience loss, as we inevitably will, we need remember there will be a gain as well. And Jesus is saying, not the same gain, but something greater, something more wonderful, something more consoling.
This is how Jesus contradicts the world and its concepts. Jesus offers us a different way of thinking and of responding. He turns evil upside down, brings blessings out of pain, and gives us more than we lose. This is what it means to walk in his shadow and understand his message. It means never settling for less, the less the world would have us believe.
The disciples responded to Jesus going away by gathering together in prayer and waiting. It can't be a bad example to follow. For sometimes, my loss is overwhelming, and all I can do is wait and pray. Jesus would have me wait with hope.
