Prayer
17:11b-19 | 4 June - Wednesday of the 7th week of Eastertide Year C (1)
From the Gospel according to John
At that time: Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and praying said, ‘Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
This passage is part of Jesus' final prayer before His arrest and crucifixion, traditionally known as the "High Priestly Prayer." It occurs in the Upper Room discourse (John 13-17), where Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure. The prayer's location is significant - between the Last Supper and Gethsemane, marking a crucial transition in Jesus' earthly ministry.
"Keep them in your name" - References divine protection and preservation
"That they may be one" - Echoes the unity within the Trinity
"Not of the world" - Emphasizes the disciples' distinct identity
"Sanctify them in the truth" - Points to the transformative power of God's word
Jesus' prayer reveals His deepest desire for His followers: that they would be protected, unified, and set apart for God's purposes while living in a hostile world. The prayer emphasizes that authentic Christian unity is inseparable from truth and holiness. Just as Jesus was "in the world but not of it," believers are called to engage with society while maintaining their distinct identity in Christ.
St. Augustine, in his "Tractates on the Gospel of John" (Tractate 107), wrote: “But Scripture does not exalt us save by descending to us: as the Word, by becoming flesh, came down to lift us up, and fell not so as to remain Himself in the depths. If we have known Him who thus descends, let us rise with Him who lifts us up.” Like Jesus, we are sent into the world not to escape it, but to transform it through our witness while remaining anchored in God's truth.
Practice: Set aside 10 minutes each day to reflect on how your actions and choices demonstrate being "in but not of" the world.
Reflect:
How does my life reflect God's truth in my workplace/school/community?
In what ways am I seeking unity with other believers while staying grounded in truth?
Where do I need God's protection most in my current situation?
Let us pray: Father, keep us in Your truth, united in Your love.
From the sayings of Saint Hannibal Mary Di Francia:
A single soul, created in the image of God, is worth more than the whole universe.