November 20, 2022
Gospel – 5/27/20 – John 17:11B-19
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:
“Holy Father, keep them in your name
that you have given me,
so that they may be one just as we are one.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,
and I guarded them, and none of them was lost
except the son of destruction,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you.
I speak this in the world
so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them,
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world
but that you keep them from the Evil One.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”
It is nature of this world that the innocent often become the prey. In nature, a mother bear will fight multiple larger bears to protect her cubs. A lioness never fights harder than when she has a cub. A woman might lift something far heavier than herself to save her child.
Today, Jesus says, he’s taken care of those God gave him. He’s protected them. But for the story of salvation to be completed, Jesus must leave them for a while.
He asks God to be their protector, like a mother, against the Evil One.
God knows what Jesus is asking and because of what Jesus is doing – redeeming Creation – God will do it. If he hadn’t – would I be writing this?
Today, God steps in.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 