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A look at the appointed gospel from the Revised Common Lectionary for May 24, 2020.
“After Jesus had spoken these words [to his disciples], he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”
”
My Two Cents….
It is not by accident that the final word that Jesus leaves his disciples on the night of his arrest and betrayal is a prayer. After a long lecture on loving neighbors and abiding in God’s love, Jesus has summarized his entire ministry. Now, it is time to go and the only thing remaining is to pray. Jesus’s prayer is one of unity for those who follow in his name.
As I read this prayer, I can’t help but sense the care and compassion which it contains. Jesus’s love for those who follow his teaching comes out loud and clear. It is relational, through and through. (This, by the way, is what it makes the passage a little hard to read; the gospel writer is constantly networking his language, connecting all dots with one another.)
It is a prayer that continues to this day. Jesus continues to deeply love all those who follow his teaching and path for their life. And, Jesus continues to love the rest of the world. We ought not to forget that! The world, though it is hostile to the kind of love that Jesus advocates, remains the object of Christ’s affection. God loves a broken creation. That is why Jesus came down to earth in the first place; that the life of God might be experienced in all its abundance.
When we come together, abiding in God’s love, we give a witness to God’s intent for the whole creation. We are the ones who help (or don’t) make connections that bring love.
So how does that look?
Think simple. Who is one person that you know that could use a reminder that they are loved? During this time of social distancing, many people are isolated in their homes. Can you give the person, which comes to your mind, a phone call today? Perhaps drop them a hand-written note? Let them know that you are thinking of them. It will make a difference. Showing love always does.
As you make your contact, remember, Jesus is praying for you!
In Christ's Light,
Walt
Permission granted to share today's content with family and friends. Copyrighted 2020. Walt Lichtenberger
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