We are reading from Jesus’ Last Supper high priestly farewell prayer (John 17:1-26) for Tuesday (yesterday)(vv. 1-11), Wednesday (today)(vv. 11-19), and Thursday (tomorrow) (vv. 20-26) of the week before Pentecost (Seventh Week of Paschaltide). The content of this prayer reflects the transition from Jesus doing the work of God, as the Son of God, to us carrying out the work of God, upon the completion of Jesus’ glorification. Thus, it is fitting that we read and reflect on Jesus’ thoughts during this prayer, as we prepare ourselves now to receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, having already commemorated his Ascension (departure).
Jesus offered this threefold prayer to the Father
for his glorification (vv.1-5), for his disciples (vv. 6-19), and for the greater
unity of his Church with the Father through him (vv. 20-26), hours before the
beginning of his glorification. Jesus’s glorification began with his death on
the Cross (John 12:23-33) and completed with his departure from the earth
through Ascension (John 20:17), on the 40th day upon his
Resurrection (Acts 1:3).
Jesus commissioned his disciples to be sent out on
their apostolic mission on the day of Ascension just before his departure back
to the Father (Mark 16:15-20;Acts 1:6-12; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:44-53).
Then, as promised by Jesus, who is the Parakletos
(Advocate)(1 John 2:1), came to the disciples (John 14:18, 28), as another Parakletos (John 14:16, 26; 15:26), on
Pentecost in the mighty Holy Spirit with transcendental power (Acts 2:1-13).
For this powerful Parakletos to
descend upon the disciples on Pentecost, Jesus had to complete his
glorification with his Ascension (John 16:7).
In today’s Gospel Reading (John 17:11-19), Jesus
prayed to the Father to look after and consecrate his disciples, whom He had
entrusted him to care for as his sheep.
Jesus was sent to the world as the Good Shepherd to
God’s sheep (John 10:11-18, 29), incarnating the Theos-Logos to dwell among them (John 1:1, 14), out of His love
(John 3:16).
Keenly aware of the nearness of his departure back
to the Father, Jesus was asking the Father to look after His sheep, the
disciples of his, as he was to complete his mission on earth as their Good
Shepherd, entrusted by Him (John 17:11-12). He also reflected that his mission
as the Good Shepherd was to keep his sheep, his disciples, in one herd, as one,
with him, just as the branches are unified with the vine (John 15:1-17), in
reporting to the Father that he kept all of them as one, except for Judas
Iscariot, who was doomed to destruction (John 17:12; cf. John 13:18; 15:3),
because of his betrayal was prophesized (Psalm 41:10).
In reiterating his returning to the Father (John
11:11), Jesus implies that his departure meant to share his joy completely with
his disciples (John 17:13). Earlier in his farewell discourse, Jesus had said
that his joy in the disciples as their complete joy (John 15:11), as they
remain in his love (John 15:9-10) by being fruitful upon keeping his words in
them for the Father’s glorification (John 15:7-8). For this, the disciples must
be filled with the Holy Spirit, as Jesus’ words are the (Holy) Spirit and the
life (John 6:63), paralleling the breath of life (מַת חַיִּים /nishmat chayyim) (Genesis 2:7; cf. John 20:22).
Jesus reasoned for the Father’s care on his
disciples that they were no longer of the world and already hated by it, due to
the Word of God, given to them by him (John 17:14). Jesus was asking the Father
to protect them in His care but not asking Him to take them out of the world –
yet (John 17:15), for they had to remain there to carry out the work of Jesus
(John 14:12), which is the work of the Father (John 5:17). It was not their time to depart to the Father
– yet (John 13:33; cf. John 7:34, 36; 8:21).
Along with His protective care, Jesus asked the Father to consecrate his
disciples, for they were no longer of the world, just as he did not belong
there (John 17:16).
Then, Jesus made it clear to the Father of his
intention to send the disciples out in the world as He sent him to the world
(John 3:16) (John 17:18). And on the evening of his Resurrection, Jesus
expressed this intention of his for their apostolic mission to the disciples (John
20:21).
In concluding his prayer for the disciples, Jesus
spoke to the Father of his intent to consecrate them by consecrating himself to
them, making them consecrated to the truth (John 17:11), as he is the truth, as
well as the way and the life (John 14:6), and the Holy Spirit for them to
receive on Pentecost is his spirit, the Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 16:13).
Consecrating the disciples to the truth, therefore, means consecrating them to
him, who is the truth. And consecrating
them to him by consecrating himself to them, means making them one in him as he
in them, just as he is so with the Father (John 14:20; 17:20-23; cf. John
10:30, 38; 14:10-11). This way, Jesus will never lose any of his sheep (John
10:28), even after his return to the Father upon Ascension.
Jesus’ prayer for his disciples to the Father (John 17:6-19)
is, indeed, the prayer of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18, 28-29), who is one with
the Father (John 10:30).
Today’s First Reading (Acts 20:28-38) is the latter part of Paul’s speech to the presbyteries of the nascent Ephesian church, as he summoned them to Miletus, on his way back to Jerusalem, completing his third mission (Acts 20:17-33). In this portion, Paul asked them to serve the faithful in the Ephesian church as their shepherds, as he demonstrated in his own pastoral leadership.
Serving as presbyteries (elders) in their pastoral
leadership capacities, comes with inherent risks, including shedding their own
blood. But, this selfless leadership is
ultimately modeled after Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd forever, laying down
his own life for his sheep, us.
Upon Pentecost, receiving and empowered by the Holy
Spirit, we will be also sent out, like sheep among wolves, to care and protect
our brothers and sisters in Christ (Acts 20:29; cf. Matthew 10:16; cf. John
10:12). Otherwise, why do we follow Jesus? Why are we Christians, then? If not
ready for this mission, then, Pentecost would not for us, as it would mean that
we would rather be of the world, forfeiting the privilege to see the Father,
given by Jesus.
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