Gospel

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.”

Reflection

There are two phrases in this passage that I would like to talk about. What does it mean to be in your name? And what does it mean to be in the truth? God reveals himself as He is. His identity is made clear in Jesus. When we hear in your name, we're talking about in the very person of God, who he really is.

Not misconceptions about him, but truth. And there we see the word truth is used in terms of the message that God has come into the world to reveal to us. And when something is consecrated, it is something that is dedicated to the work of bringing about wholeness, holiness. In all three we have something to ponder about who God truly is.

Closing Prayer

Father, the work that you've given us to do is to understand fully the simple truth of who you are, who Jesus is, and what we're here for. Nothing is more important for us to ponder these questions, but not to come up with the answers ourselves, but to listen to our heart. And that's where we'll find the answer. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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