turn our sorrows into wholeness

From today’s readings:
Save us from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness. Queen Esther

Jeremiah 31:13
I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

John 16:20
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.


Why do you suppose Queen Esther asked God to turn sorrow into wholeness? The first thing that came to mind were these two other passages regarding sorrow turning to joy. Is joy wholeness? John writes a lot about joy becoming complete. The words “you will weep and you’ll know why” keep echoing in my head.

Spring and Fall
to a young child

Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leaves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! as the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By & by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you will weep & know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sorrow's springs are the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It is the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.
- Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)


from yesterday's reading:
"Our hope is engendered in the midst of suffering. Instead of glossing over the pain, it goes straight to the heart, saying, 'Precisely here in these circumstances is where we must be hopeful.' Such hope rooted in the promise of things we don't see is a gift from god and can't be self-generated. We accept that gift only when we're able to relinquish our own version of expectations, outcome, success and control. the cornerstone of hope lies in Jesus' resurrection where, unexpectedly and seemingly impossible, life defeats death."