We continue to listen to Jesus’ prayer at the end of the night of the Last Supper. These are his last words, recommendations, and prayers before his death, passion, and resurrection at the table of the Last Supper. Today we hear a central point in our mission as Christians. Jesus does not pray for the world nor to have his disciples removed from the world. He specifically states that in his prayer. So, our life as Christians is right in the middle of a world that hates Christian life.
Living in the midst of hatred and division, Christians have the mission to be signs of the truth. Hatred, malice, division, exploitation, winning at all costs, destruction of others and our common home (Earth), manipulation, lies, corruption, vengeance, and self-centeredness are all core values for our common culture. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have become everything that I just mentioned. We see this more and more in our political life and leaders, in our family life, and in our cultural icons (movies, poems, songs). We are surrounded by a culture of hatred that is silently infecting each of us in our ways of thinking and living.
Jesus’ prayer is that each of us be consecrated to the truth. Our communion with each other within the Christian community and with God is not just for our own good. We have the mission to witness openly and publicly the truth of our lives. This celebration of the Easter season over the last 50 days, which is coming to an end this year, is meant to intensify our experience of the risen Christ in our lives and our commitment to living out our mission to be witnesses to the truth of Jesus’ continuing presence in our lives.
Jesus’ prayer for us consecrates us to live in communion and serving everyone else as a sign of his resurrection in us, his victory over sin and death in our personal life and our life as a local community of faith. As the culture that surrounds us becomes more deeply and openly centered on hatred, violence, and vengeance, it is the mission of the Christian community to live even more dedicated to communion, dialogue, and service.
Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
Image: https://sarasmusings.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/the-significance-of-the-last-supper/