Is He Praying For Us? Yes, If We Are Carrying The Mission Onward

“Lost and Found” by Greg Olsen. Used with Permission. http://www.GregOlsen.com

November 20, 2022

May 28, 2020

John 17:20-26

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.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”

Have you ever sat in a large group and were given instructions – but the leader never even looks your direction? You have no idea if the leader is talking to you.

The doubt creeps in – am I supposed to this or is he only talking to the few people he’s looking at up there?
I know, I’m not the only one who has that happen.

You remember over the last several days we’ve been hearing a very intimate prayer of the Son to the Father. If you ever wondered whether he meant any of that prayer for us – that is done away with today.

He says absolutely that he is praying, not just for the Apostles and their mission, but for each person who is brought to the Faith because of their words. When he says, “each person”, he means everyone who is changed by the Apostles, those changed by the Apostles, those changed by those who were changed by those who were changed by the Apostles . . . all the way down to those we will be changing. Because we are changed because the Apostles changed those people originally and had it cascade down to – you and me.

So, who is he praying for when he says those who hear the words of the Apostles? You and me.

Who will we bring to the Faith with our words?

Is he praying for us? Yes, if we are carrying the mission onward.