Our Venerable Father Anthony of the Monastery of the Caves in Kyiv; The Holy Forty-Five Martyrs of Nicopolis in Armenia; The Holy Brother-martyrs Francis, Mutius, and Raphael and those with them martyred in Damascus.
Galatians 5:22-6:2; Luke 6:17-23.
Read Luke 6:17-23
In the 18th century, John Newton—a former slave trader—sat alone in his cabin, trembling. A violent storm battered his ship, and death felt near. But it wasn’t just fear of the sea that overwhelmed him—it was the weight of the lives he’d helped destroy. In that moment, he cried out to God, weeping not only from terror, but from deep conviction. His prayer began a long journey of repentance. Newton would leave the slave trade, become a minister, and write the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace.” His tears gave way to a life transformed by mercy—and ultimately, joy.
When Jesus says in Luke 6:21, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh,” He speaks to those in sorrow not with pity, but with promise. The Church Fathers saw this verse not as a romanticized view of suffering, but as a divine reversal. St. Cyril of Alexandria wrote that Christ “removes the cause of grief” and “introduces a joy that is eternal.” St. Ambrose said, “They who weep are nearer to God; they who mourn draw His mercy down.”
Patristic voices understood that present sorrow, especially sorrow over sin and injustice, is not wasted—it prepares the heart for eternal joy. Our weeping has a destination.
The Book of Revelation echoes the same truth: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes.” As deep as you mourn now is as great as your joy will be then. For in the end, God will dwell with His people—and laughter will rise where tears once fell.