Day 91, John 17
Happy 4th Sunday in Easter Everyone!
Today I wanted to draw more out of this Rich Gospel Chapter!
Yesterday in the Liturgy of the Hours Readings we see St. Cyril of Alexandria who gave a commentary on the gospel of John!!! What a coincidence we are right on target!!!
He says that Jesus asks the Father to “Protect them” meaning us; and then says,
“For their sake I consecrate myself”
St. Cyril says that by saying that he consecrates himself he means that he offers himself to God as a spotless and sweet – smelling sacrifice!
He goes on to say that,
“According to the law, anything offered upon the altar was consecrated and considered holy.
So Christ gave his own body for the life of all, and makes it the channel through which life flows once more into us.”
Isn’t this beautiful! Jesus says in Chapter 16 that that the Spirit of Truth is coming — and then we see here that He wants to consecrate us in the Truth!
Jesus is the Truth — and so the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus — revealing God the Father and so we are consecrated in Jesus by the power and by receiving His Spirit!
I see three intimate points here:
- Eternal Life
- One in the Name
- Consecrate Us in Truth
1- Eternal Life
Jesus starts off His prayer asking to Glorify the Father the same way that the Father gave authority to the Son so that He may give Eternal Life to all whom the Father had given Him!
Then we see Jesus define eternal life — for the Father — NO not for the Father — to the Father for OUR BENEFIT!
This is eternal life =
“That they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
=== so you can see here what comes to mind the old Catechism question — why did God create me… TO KNOW HIM… then… to love Him and serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him in the next!
continued..
I glorified you on earh by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do…
then
Now Glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.”
WOW there it is!!! Before the world began Jesus was with the Father. Our faith doesn’t just make things up –
– it is all found in Divine Revelation – the Sacred Scriptures and Sacred Tradition – written and oral handing down of truth!
2- One in the Name
Jesus goes on to pray to the Father about “the Name” that He had given the Son!
Now we see Jesus speaking to the Father about all those that the Father had given to Jesus – in a way He is promoting them – testifying to the fact that they believed all that He had revealed to them…
Can you imagine how emotional this might have been — Here is Jesus speaking on behalf of the disciples – letting them truly see that God the Father had chosen them – that they truly belong to Him –
Then Jesus says that He protected them in “YOUR Name that YOU gave me”
And that He guarded them – and none of them were lost except one – “the son of destruction” in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.
WOW so they even spoke about Judas and how it had all been part of the fulfillment of the Word!
Then Jesus asks the Father that as He is coming to Him to please keep them all in His name – that He has given to Jesus –
So that they may be ONE – just as the Father and Son are ONE –
WOW again! So the NAME gives us protection – and makes us ONE in the Father and Son!
No wonder there is so much power in the NAME of JESUS — much more than we can even imagine!
This was the Father’s name that He gave to the SON…. JESUS — Savior!
So the Apostles hear about Eternal life, and the NAME…
3- Consecrate Us in Truth
Now here is the third call — to Holiness! Consecrate us in the TRUTH!
Jesus prays to the Father all about the world — and listen up my brothers and sisters!!
YOU DON”T THINK GOD KNOWS and JESUS knows what is happening in the world?
OF COURSE HE DOES!! HE’s not on some tropical island or asleep while were are down here praying — sometimes I think we pray like God has no clue!!! HE KNOWS EVERYTHING!
JESUS speaks to the Father in the world like this — so that Our JOY may be complete!
Since He knows that we don’t belong to the world but must live in the world and He wants our Joy to be complete He says to the Father…
in order that we be kept from the evil one…
“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.”
Isn’t that amazing that Jesus asks for us to be consecrated in HIM – truth itself!
And that He doesn’t ask for anything that He would not do!
He is willing to consecrate Himself for us!
What does consecrate mean? Set a part – for a purpose!
For us it is to be HOLY as the Father is Holy and the Son is too!
To be apart from the world but still live in the world we have to be consecrated!
So even thought we might not be a priest, a religious or deacon – or even a third order
Lay person…
WE ARE ALL CALLED to be CONSECRATED!!! IN TRUTH! IN JESUS!
This is how we conquer the world through Jesus Christ!
Consecrate yourself each day in JESUS – and as well call on the Blessed Mother and consecrate your eyes your mind your ears your heart – your whole self!
We were told here by Jesus that He consecrated Himself for us and that He asks that the Father will consecrate us! Good stuff and Good news!
Let us share on this… and really take time with this blessed Chapter this Sunday – The Lord’s Day!
God bless!
