In today’s Gospel Jesus prays for us: “I pray not only for these [disciples], but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” We are the ones who have come to believe in Jesus through the word of the Gospel. The disciples went out to all the nations and preached the Gospel. In the 70’s (Mark), 80’s (Matthew, Luke), and the 90’s (John) the spoken word was put into the written form of a Gospel. For most of us, it is through hearing and reading these written Gospels that we are not only called to faith but strengthened and challenged to grow in our following of Jesus. The Evangelist reflects of the purpose of his writing at the end of his Gospel:
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31)
In today’s Gospel Jesus begins his prayer by “lifting up his eyes to heaven,” a common way of praying. His petition is for unity and oneness not divisions and contentiousness: “pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us…” Jesus’ prayer and desire is that we disciples reflect the same oneness and unity that exists between Jesus and his heavenly Father.
Jesus continues in his prayer and prays not only for unity but even more for love. Jesus teaches by his words but even more by his actions that his love consists in humility, service, and sacrifice.
“Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”
Let us join in prayer with Jesus today. While recognizing the divisions and polarization in our world, in our nation, and even in our church we pray that God may heal us and unite us. May God challenge us disciples to be people of love, humility, service, and sacrifice. Let us pray…
Image: “jesus-praying” by ThiênLong is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.