7th Sunday of Easter

The seventh Sunday of Easter brings us to a passage from the Gospel of John, chapter 17 verses 1-11, where Jesus prays to his Father for himself, his disciples, and all believers. In this passage, Jesus reveals the depth of his love for his disciples and his desire for their unity, and he offers a model of prayer for all of us.

Jesus begins by asking his Father to glorify him so that he may glorify the Father. This request is not a self-serving one, but rather an acknowledgement of the mutual glorification between Jesus and his Father. Jesus' glorification will reveal the glory of his Father, and the Father's glorification of Jesus will reveal the love and power of God.

Jesus then prays for his disciples, whom he has given the Father. He acknowledges that they have believed in him and have received his teachings, and he prays for their protection and unity. Jesus recognizes the challenges and trials that his disciples will face, and he asks his Father to protect them from the evil one and to sanctify them in the truth.

The heart of Jesus' prayer in this passage is his desire for unity among his disciples. He prays, "Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one." Jesus' prayer for unity is not just for his immediate disciples, but for all believers who will come to believe in him through their witness.

Jesus' prayer for unity is particularly poignant in our current context, where the Church and the world are often deeply divided. As we reflect on this passage, there are several key themes that emerge:

Love: Jesus' prayer for his disciples is rooted in his deep love for them and his desire for their well-being. Our own prayer and action should be similarly rooted in love.

Protection: Jesus recognizes the challenges and trials that his disciples will face, and he asks his Father to protect them from the evil one. We too should recognize the spiritual battles that we face and pray for protection.

Unity: Jesus' prayer for unity is a reminder of the importance of unity within the Church and the world. We should strive for unity, while also recognizing that unity does not mean uniformity.

Model of prayer: Jesus' prayer in this passage offers a model of prayer for all believers. We too can pray to our Father for ourselves, our loved ones, and all those who believe in Jesus.

As we continue on our journey of faith, may we be inspired by Jesus' prayer in this passage, and may we strive to live lives of love, protection, and unity. May we also follow Jesus' model of prayer, and may we pray to our Father for all those who believe in him.