Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.
Jesus longs to share his peace, his joy and his truth with us today
Submitted by holyroodchurch on May 19, 2021 - 11:24
Reading: I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. John 17:15.
Good morning, happy Wednesday, and many blessings.
Today’s Gospel (John 17: 11b-19) is a loving and tender passage. Jesus is praying for all the people (including us) whom God has entrusted to his care. Jesus realizes that his time on earth is short. He is concerned about the people whom he soon will be leaving. Jesus prays and asks his Father to keep them “in his name.” Jesus longs for his “flock” to be protected and safe when he is no longer with them. What a caring and loving shepherd we have!
Clearly Jesus dearly loved his disciples. He longed for them to share his joy fully and completely. Jesus knew that he would be leaving them, and he longed for them to be safe and secure in God’s love and care for them. Jesus also longed for his disciples to share the depth of joy He experienced in being one with God.
Take a moment and remember a time when you experienced a sense of closeness or oneness with God or Jesus. Do you remember the time or place? What were the emotions you experienced? Joy? Peace? Love? Awe?
Notice, on Jesus' heart hangs the heavy burden regarding the sure and certain persecution coming after his death, which he fears will scatter the flock. Question: Would they be able to withstand the onslaught of hate, or would they succumb? You see, Jesus knows the world will hate them, just as it hated him, and so, for the sake of the disciples who will face this very real danger without him, what does the Good Shepherd, the Pastor Jesus do? He prays for them, in front of them, so they can hear his heart.
What we are witnessing here within the prayer of Jesus is nothing short of the pastoral task, his deep concern for the welfare of the flock rising to the surface. To be sure, the Good Shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep, but once that is done, what then?
Jesus longs to share his peace, his joy and his truth with us today. Are we open to receiving these gifts? If so, I invite you to sit quietly in Jesus’ presence with an open mind, heart and hands. . . .and wait! Jesus will come and gift you! Be patient!
Blessings,
Fr. Luis+
Date news:
Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 11:30
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