Yesterday, our Gospel contained the opening verses of chapter 17 of St. John’s Gospel. Having already washed the feet of his disciples and sharing the last supper with his disciples, teaching them by word and example how they are to practice love and self-sacrifice in carrying out the mission of the Gospel, the Lord turns to his father and prays.
As we heard yesterday, he prays that he may glorify his Father, that the glory of God might be made known through Him, through his suffering, his passion, and death. Consider that for another moment. Jesus prayed, that in the obedient embrace of the cross, His Father’s goodness, and power, and love for the world might be known.
The Lord then offered a second petition: he offered a simple prayer for his disciples. He prayed for the ones that look to Him as the Way, the truth, and the life. That they might be faithful.
Today’s gospel contains the third petition of that High Priestly Prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper. The Lord prays for the consecration of his disciples. The Lord uses a wonderful word in the Greek: “hagiazo”, to sanctify, to consecrate, to make holy, to set aside as being holy.
The Lord is clear that he will no longer be in the world, but we will, and he will have to face its hatred in the form of persecutions, hostility, and temptation. And while we are in the world, the Lord prays that we do not become like the world, filled with error, perversion, hatred of truth, and selfishness. Rather he prays that while we are in the world we may be filled with holiness, we may be set apart as holy, by being filled with the Truth and Life of God.
In the world, he says, will face the hostility of the evil one, the son of destruction, the antichrist. But we mustn’t fear, as divine protection comes to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, by remaining in the Truth of Jesus Christ.
The language of consecration is also characteristic of liturgy and priesthood. Just as the Levitical priests, the sacred vessels and furnishings were consecrated, literally, taken out of ordinary use and put into the service of divine worship, so to are we. Christian disciples are taken out of the ordinary—the worldly--, and placed into the supernatural—the divine.
Being a Christian is anything but ordinary—it is the consecrated life. May we be faithful to this great dignity. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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Let us pray to our Heavenly Father, confident that He is generous to those who call upon Him with faith.
For our young people preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation this weekend—that they may open their hearts to the gifts God has in store for them. Let us pray to the Lord.
For our President and all elected government representatives, may the Holy Spirit grant them wisdom and guide them to promote domestic tranquility, national unity, respect for religious freedom, and a greater reverence for the sanctity of Human Life. Let us pray to the Lord.
Like the apostles gathered with Our Lady in the Cenacle, may the Church grow in Marian devotion this month, especially in devotion to the Holy Rosary. Let us pray to the Lord.
For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know the peace and consolation of the Good Shepherd. Let us pray to the Lord.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for those who have fought and died for our freedom, and for …for whom this mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.
Gracious Father, hear the prayers of your pilgrim Church, grant us your grace and lead us to the glory of your kingdom, through Christ Our Lord.
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