In today's Gospel Reading from John 17, 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." Here are my thoughts on the verses I have colored. First, Jesus wants to share his joy with us. Normally, knowing how much he has suffered for us, it's easy to feel his sorrow, but we can receive great joy from him too! So, let the Lord complete our joy. Next, even though the world hates us for not belonging to it, Jesus asks the Father to keep us from evil instead of removing us from the world. The world still needs the righteous to spread the good news.
No comments:
Post a Comment