In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit. Luke 10:21
During the life of the Lord on earth, there were many reasons for sorrow, tears and suffering. He, out of his compassion, healed the paralytic, the blind, and Peter’s mother in law. He cast out demons from many. He raised the widow’s son and Lazarus.
People usually rejoice for having power and authority, just like the seventy who ‘returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." Luke 10:17. It continues to this day that people rejoice when they can trample on fear. They celebrate the ability to treat and heal many diseases of body and soul. But the Lord taught his disciples saying “rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20
But, the Lord’s reason for rejoicing was different, as St. Cyril of Alexandria explains: “For being good and loving unto men, …He found His cause of rejoicing in the conversion of those that were in error, in the enlightenment of those that were in darkness, and in the answer of the understanding to the acknowledgment of His glory, of those who had been without knowledge and without instructions”.1 He gave thanks to the Father for revealing the mystery of the kingdom to the little ones, the poor in spirit. But, what is that mystery that causes all that joy but the incarnation of the Son of God, the unsearchable riches of Christ and that “we were foreknown and foreordained to the adoption of sons.”2
- Mervat Iskander
1 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 65
2 ibid
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