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.”
REFLECTION
“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.”
Such beautiful words prayed on our behalf. Jesus identified Himself with the Divine Name, “I AM”.
What hope! We are invited to share in God’s life, to take our identity in Him, to live and act in God’s way. This is possible only when we are united to Christ as He is united to the Father.
The prayers at the Last Supper become a reality on our lives. This one prayer of Jesus, our Redeemer and Savior, is very comforting.
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that we may be one with Him, living and acting in His Name".
Pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us in this journey.
