In today’s Gospel from John (17:11b-19), Jesus reminds us that we have been given His Name and have been protected and guarded by Christ so that we may receive His joy and be complete (the joy we are to receive will be the absolute joy of heaven where we will all share in the divine attributes of Christ).
In this gospel we also hear that the world will challenge us just as it attempted to challenge the Lord Himself. But the Lord does ask that God remove us from the world—the difficult situations and circumstances—but rather that God our Father keep us safe from the evil one. This will happen—this protection from the evil one—by us being consecrated by the Father to His Truths, His Ways—His Word. This Truth of God will strengthen us, He will guide and protect us, and he will give us not only the heavenly wisdom to know His will but the courage to follow it in our lives. Note that Jesus states that “As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world” We are
commanded by God to be His light and love in our world and families around us.
Next weekend as we gather to celebrate Pentecost Sunday we will hear that God will not abandon us and in fact will send His Holy Spirit, the Advocate, into the Church to unfold His eternal Truths and to guide us in all things. May that same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead to new life find a dwelling place—a temple—in each of us so that we may fulfill the Will of the Father and enable us to live out God’s will in our own lives and families and community.
We should all ask ourselves: How does God challenge me in this world? What strength from Him do I feel or recognize in my life, and I am listening to Him and attempting to carry out His call in my actions and thoughts? Do I see where God might be leading me by the blessings and the challenges alike that are in my life?