John 17:1-11 (NRSV)
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Chapter 17After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, Verse 2since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. Verse 3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Verse 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. Verse 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
Verse 6"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. Verse 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; Verse 8for 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. Verse 9I 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. Verse 10All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.
Verse 11And 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.
Devotion
Two things profoundly shaped my prayer life and faith as a child and youth: the fear of losing my mother, who had multiple health problems, and World War II.
On this Ascension Day, this week's gospel reading from John shows how prayer shaped Jesus' life and faith. Jesus begins his high priestly prayer with meditation on God, acknowledging he soon will die on a cross and praying to his Father that all "may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
Then Jesus focuses on his followers, praying as we do for our families—"Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me."
Missionary Judy Hyland was imprisoned by the Japanese in the Philippines during World War II. Judy stated that people prayed and pinned their hopes on the holidays, that peace might come the next Fourth of July, the next Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for praying for me and my loved ones. Help me to keep your Word and be a person of prayer. Amen.