Read Online
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “Holy Father, I
pray not only for them, 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. And I have given them the glory you
gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one…” John
17:20–22
What an amazing prayer! Don’t miss the meaning of this prayer. This
is Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer that He prayed just before He was
arrested. This prayer concludes the Last Supper at which Jesus
instituted the Most Holy Eucharist. It is truly His Eucharistic
prayer that culminates in the offering of His life on the Cross.
This prayer is not only a prayer; it is also a teaching about the
life that we are invited to share in with our Lord.
Note that in the passage quoted above, Jesus prayed not only for
the disciples “but also for those who will believe in me through
their word.” In other words, Jesus was praying for you and for
everyone who would hear and respond to the Gospel. And His prayer
was that you share in the perfect union that Jesus shares with the
Father. He prayed that all may be one in the same way that He and
the Father are one. Again, this is an amazing prayer!
To begin, it is important to understand the concept of unity. Deep
within each of us is a longing to be united to another. The draw to
marriage, the love of a parent and child, the desire for friends
and the bonding together as a community all point to this desire.
We want unity. We want to be one. Unfortunately, our natural
ability to form a holy union with others was deeply wounded by
Original Sin. For that reason, the most central mission of the Son
of God was not only to restore that which was lost but to transform
it into something even greater. Now, because of the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus, we are not only able to live in peace with
each other, we are also able to share in a new spiritual union with
God Himself. This union goes to the heart and soul of who we
are.
Look within you and try to discover the innate desire you have for
communion with others. When properly understood, pondering this
desire is very consoling and enticing. If you can separate
selfishness, lust and possessiveness from the equation, you are
left with a very holy desire for union with others. Try to discover
this desire within.
As you discover this desire that God placed within you, learn from
Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. Understand that this desire is only
completely fulfilled by entering into the life and unity of the
Most Holy Trinity. We are called to share in God’s very life. When
that happens, we also share in a perfect and holy union with one
another. In this life, a holy marriage is an earthly prefiguration
of that union that is to come. In Heaven, the divine marriage to
which we are called will enable us to fulfill every human desire we
have.
Reflect, today, upon the draw you have within you to live in union
with others. As you ponder this desire, know that it can only be
fulfilled by accepting the invitation from the Most Holy Trinity to
share in Their divine life. Prayerfully read Jesus’ prayer to the
Father and know that He was praying this for you. Join with Him in
this prayer and make it your own so that your every human desire
will begin to be fulfilled in God.
Most Holy Trinity, You have invited me to share in Your glorious
life. You invite me to share in the unity that You share. Please
purify me of every selfish desire and fill me with a desire only
for You. May this union with You perfectly fulfill me and enable me
to obtain true unity with others. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image via Pixabay.
Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used
with permission via RSS feed.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.