Be calm and carry on!

John 17:20-26

Jesus prayed to his Father in these words: "I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message. I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.

“Father! You have given them to me, and I want them to be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, the glory you gave me; for you loved me before the world was made. Righteous Father! The world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you sent me. I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be in them."

Food for thought!

The night before the Lord Jesus was to be crucified was a night filled with much activity. He spent the evening with His disciples in the upper room, celebrating the first Eucharist, teaching them about the Holy Spirit, and encouraging them to carry on His work in the world. After they had finished the Eucharist, Jesus led them outside the city to a garden called Gethsemane. There, busy as he was, Jesus found time to pray to his Father. What a lesson! Jesus was never too busy to pray; he never put off prayer because he was busy.

Did you know that if the devil can beat you on prayer (if it can make you forget to pray, if it can make you ignore prayer) it can beat you on everything else. But if you can beat the devil on prayer, you too can beat it on everything else. It means that prayer is the one thing you cannot trade for anything. Why? Because prayer puts us in touch with God, and as long as we are in touch with heaven, the devil cannot beat us. This is why prayer was the secret of Jesus' life. He lived by prayer, and prayed as he died. He prayed by day, he prayed by night, he prayed in the boat, he prayed in houses, he prayed at the table, he prayed on the cross; indeed, Jesus died praying: «Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.»

Luke tells us that that night he prayed with such intensity that he sweat became like great drops of blood, Luke 22:41-44.

First, he prayed for himself as the Cross faced him: John 17:5 «And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world.»

Second, he prayed for his disciples: John 17:9 «I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me.»

Third, his prayers looked into the distant future and distant lands. Yes, that night Jesus prayed for you and me: «I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message.» Today's Gospel should be specially precious to us, for it is Jesus' prayer for us.

Jesus' confidence!

When Jesus prayed that night, his followers were still few, but even with the Cross facing him, his confidence was unshaken, and he was praying for those who would come to believe in his name. He knew that his death was never going to be the end; he knew that there was light beyond the tunnel; that there was daybreak after night; that there was a resurrection Sunday after Good Friday; that there was a crown after the cross.

A Christian is a Christ living once again today, with faith and confidence that there is a tomorrow. So as you suffer, remember there is a tomorrow; as you rejoice remember that there is a tomorrow; don't eat or buy or live as if there is no tomorrow.

Jesus knew that the disciples did not fully understand him; he knew that in a very short time they were going to abandon him in his hour of dire need. Yet to these very same men he looked with complete confidence to spread his name throughout the world. Jesus never lost his faith in God or his confidence in man. Christ believes in us; he trusts us more than we trust in ourselves. 

Yes, Jesus believes in us. Indeed, this is why there is forgiveness; he forgives us our sins again and again because he knows and believes that we can change, that we can be and do better; that we can rise beyond our sins and weaknesses. No one believes in our potential like Jesus does. He made us; he knows us; he knows not only our weaknesses; he knows our strengths as well. In Jesus and with Jesus never lose confidence. Be calm and carry on!