That We May Be One With Jesus

 

John 17:1–11a 

Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. ⁸ For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. ⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

Chapter 17 of St. John is often called "The Priestly Prayer of Jesus", for he prays as the leader of the community, our leader,  our community, for unity with his Father.  This is a prayer for a new life, one in UNION with the Father. "Now they know everything you have given me comes from you.: (Jn 17: 7). "...protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one." (Jn 17: 11). To be one with the Beloved...Jesus wants this; we strive our whole lives for it, because as we grow in our faith, we realize that this is what life is all about. Jesus prays with warmth, calmness and yet with intensity for this union.. Can we?

Bro Rene

Dear Jesus, you seek union with us with all your heart. Stir up the desire for union with you in our hearts, helping us to cast away anything or anyone who would stands in the way of this union, for, as St. Augustine prayed, "Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you." Amen.