June 04, 2014 Wednesday
7th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 20:28–38
Gospel: Jn 17:11–19
Jesus prayed, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world whereas I am going to you. Holy Father, keep them in your Name (that you have given me,) so that they may be one, just as we are. When I was with them, I kept them safe in your Name, and not one was lost except the one who was already lost, and in this the Scripture was fulfilled. But now I am coming to you and I leave these my words in the world that my joy may be complete in them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world; just as I am not of the world. I do not ask you to remove them from the world but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world; consecrate them in the truth—your word is truth.“I have sent them into the world as you sent me into the world, and for their sake, I go to the sacrifice by which I am consecrated, so that they too may be consecrated in truth.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The prayer of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading opens with a supplication to the Father for protection for the Apostles who still had to remain in the world. Jesus asked the Father to keep them one. This prayer for unity brings in the vine-and-branch theme (John 15:5) that expands this unity to include Jesus. This means that the Apostles had to be united not just among themselves but above all to Jesus, the vine. There was nothing that they could do apart from that vine.
After his prayer for unity on behalf of the Apostles, Jesus made an accounting to the Father of his role as Shepherd of God’s flock. “When I was with them”, Jesus reported, “I kept them safe in your Name”. Unfortunately, that accounting was stained by the case of Judas. Jesus continued, “and not one was lost except the one who was already lost, and in this the Scripture was fulfilled” (John 17: 12). This was not a point against Jesus because of heaven’s standing policy that human freedom be highly respected. Judas chose the path to damnation and Jesus was bound to respect that decision.
After giving the Father an accounting of his performance as Shepherd of the flock, Jesus consecrated his disciples in the truth and then hinted at his death as part of the process of consecration. It was important that the Apostles were consecrated in the truth because of their destiny as evangelizers tasked to spread the truth about God’s kingdom.
Jesus is inviting us not only to work in unity with one another but also to remain united with him as branches united to the vine. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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