THE WORD
Ac 22,30; 23,6-11 / Jn 17,20-26
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “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, 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.”
IN OTHER WORDS
“Please pray for me!” Very often we are requested by others to pray for them. As a priest, everyday I am asked by individuals to pray for their good health, fast recovery, success in exams or safe trip etc... Request for prayers is very common among us. Pope Francis also made this request when he was with the Yolanda survivors, “Please pray for me!” It is not only they who need his prayers and blessings but he also needs their prayers. Even St. Paul asks his ock to pray for him so that he may be safe and successful in his mission: “I urge you, friends, by our Lord Jesus Christ… join me in praying fervently to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to God’s people there” (Rom 15: 30-31).
We need to pray for one another. St. Paul gives us an example of praying for others: “I thank my God for you every time I think of you; and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy” (Phil 1:3).
Praying for others is one of the noble acts of a true Christian. Yes, all of us are in need of prayers and we also need to support, console and help one another through our prayers. Praying for others is also one way of showing our love, care and concern for their well being.
In the gospel today, Jesus prays for his disciples. He prays for their safety and successful mission after he would leave them and go back to his Father. He knows that they are weak, worried and frightened. He earnestly intercedes for them with his Father and commends them to his mercy and protection. Jesus continues to do the same for you and for me. He knows that we too are weak, worried and frightened due to various vicissitudes of life. He earnestly intercedes for us his flock. St. John says, “…but if anyone does sin, we have someone who pleads with the Father on our behalf - Jesus Christ, the righteous one” (I John 1:1).
- Fr. Deva Savariyappan, SVD | DWCB, Bangued, Abra
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
