Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 17, 11b-19
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:
“Holy Father, keep them in your name
that you have given me,
so that they may be one just as we are one.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,
and I guarded them, and none of them was lost
except the son of destruction,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you.
I speak this in the world
so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them,
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world
but that you keep them from the Evil One.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”
That they may be one
1. To Heaven. More and more, I understand that things must be done through God and not by us alone. Sometimes we fall into the trap of voluntarism, wanting to do things exactly how we think they should be. We might even try to manage matters of faith on our own terms. We need to learn to look at things from God’s perspective, trusting that everything has a reason and a purpose and that we must pray to God but contribute our own effort. Ultimately, God is the pilot of our life, and we’re just the co-pilot.
2. Protected. I feel that the Church is facing numerous challenges today. Just a quick glance at Facebook or Instagram reveals attacks from many people. Sadly, it’s often those inside the Church who are causing the most harm; it’s as if we’re ready to start political campaigns or exclusive groups just to attack each other. There are divisions between those who wear cassocks and those who don’t, liberals and conservatives, progressives and traditionalists, and more. Instead of caring for one another, we’re tearing each other apart. We must learn to respect and support each other. Someone’s choice to wear or not wear a cassock, or their membership in a certain group, does not make them my enemy. The sadness within the Church stems from our internal divisions, leaving us as a sorrowful and fractured community.
3. Keep them from evil. God continually watches over us and sustains us through the Eucharist. This is where we must return and focus our attention. If the Eucharist is not at the heart of our lives, we become lifeless and transient. Recently, I went through a painful experience. Unable to celebrate Mass in a rural chapel, I asked an 83-year-old priest to step in. However, the person who requested the Mass for her son’s 18th birthday told me that if I or a younger priest couldn’t do it, she would rather not have the Mass at all. She said she was paying for a “good” Mass. It struck me that we haven’t evangelized well enough, and that Jesus isn’t the true center for everyone. I also realized that many see priests as expendable: “As long as we’re capable, we’re accepted, but when we’re old or sick, we’re no longer wanted.” Today, let’s pray for unity and renewed focus on who should be at the center of our faith: Jesus.
Always remember that something good is on the way.
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
