The Alleluia describes the joy of redemption as a plan of "cross before crown," a mystery indeed, had not Jesus lived it out for us. In the Gospel Jesus explains how an unbelieving world persecutes because it regards Him as dead and gone; yet our conquering joy which no man can take away, comes from our vision of Him through the wide-open eyes of faith; although (Communion) Jesus also predicts that our joy can never be perfect here, especially during persecution, since the cross of His apparent absence is the prelude to the glory of His eternal Presence.
The Epistle alludes to the first Gentile and Jewish persecutors with their usual weapons of violence and calumny, yet shows how "you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." "Going to the Father" each day (Communion) in morning and evening prayer, "desiring things" of God (Secret) in our daily actions, receiving Sacraments (Post-Communion) are the guarantee of true joy now and forever. Christianity is a religion of joy!
Today marks the former Feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel who appeared in 492 at Monte Gargano and asked that a church be raised at this location in his honour to the memory of both himself and all the angels. Pope St. Gregory the Great reflected that the angels rejoice in the Resurrection during the Easter Season for Heaven was open to us making up for the losses in the angelic ranks. These days, with so much evil in the world, it seems a good time to ask for the intercession of St. Michael to turn evil back into hell where it belongs!