And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. 12 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. 13 But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. 14 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. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. 17 Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. 19 And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
Jesus continued to pray to his Father for the disciples. He was about to leave this world (his impending crucifixion and ascension) and return to the Father with whom he has always been a unity (Jn. 10:30). He prayed for the “Holy Father” to protect and guard them in his name and to unite them in mind, will and heart, in his love, in a unity similar to the one the Son shares with the Father (Jn. 15:7-10). During His earthly ministry, Jesus protected his disciples in the Father's name to ensure their spiritual safety and fidelity to his teachings. However, one of them, Judas Iscariot, was lost, as foretold in Scripture, fulfilling a divine plan (Ps. 41:9; 109:8). The son of destruction, Judas, was destined to perish by his own fault. Judas’ treason, which was foreseen as a result of his own malice, was a factor in God’s plan of redemption and salvation.
Jesus spoke of his impending return to the Father and wanted his disciples to share completely in his joy which resulted from accomplishing his Father’s will. It is offered to his disciples as a source of comfort and encouragement knowing that they, like Jesus, are a part of God’s plan of redemption. He gave them the Father’s word and they followed his teachings, so they were no longer of the world which now hated them as it hated Jesus. Jesus prayed for God to sanctify the disciples in truth and protect them from the evil influences of this world, not to remove them from the dangers of the world. Just as God consecrated Jesus and sent him into the world to witness to what he has seen and heard from the Father (Jn. 10:36), so should the Father consecrate the disciples to preach the truth as Jesus sends them forth into the world to preach the Good News he revealed to them. By his death, Jesus consecrated himself for the sake of his disciples so they could be consecrated in truth and fulfill their mission in the world.
Almighty God, may we be guarded in Your truth and be protected from the evil influences of the world so that we may remain steadfast amidst opposition. Through your grace, may the prayers offered by Jesus on our behalf consecrate us so that we can be effective in ministering to others according to our station in life. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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