The Gospel of John 17:6-19
Jesus prayed for his disciples, “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”
Let us Pray: Everlasting God Your son Jesus’ Ascension into heaven marked the culmination of the Paschal Mystery. May we live life in the same way as his disciples did at that time, knowing no sense of abandonment but patiently awaiting the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.
Every one of us is beloved, when we listen to the words of Christ, we should reflect that he is praying for us and for each believer. The disciples about whom Jesus speaks are not outstanding in any way. They were everyday people like you and me. Jesus spoke of them highly, because they were a treasure that the Father had placed into his hands just as we have been. As events will prove, once they are filled with the Spirit, they will become powerful advocates for the kingdom. If we believe we can also become powerful advocates for the kingdom. The Ascension of Jesus was a turning point or sort of a line drawn and at that point life for the disciples became truly real. Moments like that pose questions, questions that the disciples had such as, where am I headed now? Who are we to be and what will we do that will make our life matter and make a difference? There was no right answer for the disciples at that moment as there are no right answers for us, it is an ongoing process to find answers and to work out where we are headed. These turning points often become opportunities for prayer to help find answers. I am sure if you stop you can look back over your life and see many turning points along your life’s path, our lives are a series of turning points. What did you do at those turning points? Did you let them overwhelm you, or did you let them help define further steps of your journey? Did you walk with Jesus as you contemplated your journey?
Let us pray: As we end this Eastertide Season let us remember that Easter doesn’t end when the season is over. Easter is every day, everyday we thank God for His Son and for the love that is given to all of us through the unending Love God has for us. This we pray in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 