Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “I pray not
only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through
their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me
and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may
believe that you sent me.” John 17:20–21
Over the past couple of weeks, we have been continually reading
from Chapter 14–17 of John’s Gospel. These chapters contain Jesus’
Last Supper Discourses and provide us with Jesus’ last sermon, so
to speak. Chapter 17, which we have been reading this past week,
presents us with Jesus’ final prayer for His disciples and for all
of us “who will believe” in Him through the preaching of the
disciples. Each time we read from Chapter 17, the Lectionary begins
the reading with the phrase “Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus
prayed saying…” That line is an adaptation of Chapter 17:1 but is
used to introduce the various parts of the prayer of Jesus each
time it is read at Mass.
It’s interesting that Jesus would look up to Heaven when He prayed.
Of course, Heaven is not physically in the sky, because Heaven is a
spiritual reality. The Father is not located in some place in the
sky but is omnipresent, meaning, present all places and all times.
And yet, Jesus raises His eyes upward when He prays to the Father.
There is a great lesson in this.
Our physical disposition is important, at times. For example, when
someone we owe respect to enters a room, we usually rise and greet
them. It would be disrespectful to remain lounging on a bed or sofa
in that case. And at Mass, we do not sit back with legs crossed
during the Consecration; rather, we kneel in adoration. And when we
greet someone for the first time, we do not look at the floor;
rather, we look them in the eyes.
Jesus’ act of “Lifting his eyes to heaven” was not done because He
thought He might see the Father in the sky; rather, it was done out
of respect and love and as a way of acknowledging the dignity of
the Father. This should teach us about our own bodily disposition
and the message we communicate to others, especially to God in
prayer.
When you pray, what do you do? Though you can pray at any time and
while in any disposition, it is an excellent practice to speak to
God not only by your words but also by the disposition you take.
Kneeling, raising hands in prayer, falling prostrate before your
Lord, sitting upright with attentiveness, etc., are all ways in
which you communicate to God your love.
Reflect, today, upon this image of Jesus praying. Gaze at how
attentive He would have been as He lifted His sacred eyes upward as
a physical gesture honoring the glorious, all-powerful Father in
Heaven. Try to imagine Jesus' devotion, intensity, respect and
burning love. Imitate this holy gesture of prayer and attentiveness
to the Father and remind yourself of the importance of expressing
your love in bodily form.
My most holy Father in Heaven, I do join Your Son, Jesus, in
lifting my eyes, my heart and my whole life to You in honor, love
and respect. May I always be attentive to You and always show You
the devotion due Your greatness. My dear Jesus, thank You for Your
love of the Father in Heaven. Give me the grace I need to imitate
You and Your perfect love in my life. Jesus, I trust in
You.
Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used
with permission via RSS feed.
Featured images above: Christ in Prayer By El Greco, via
Wikimedia Commons
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.