A - Seventh Sunday of Easter

We read in the New Testament about the many times that Jesus would slip away to pray and spend time alone and with His Father. At the start of his ministry and after his Baptism he went off to the wilderness for forty days for a time of extended prayer and fasting. And later we read in Luke how great crowds came to hear Jesus preach and to be healed, yet he would frequently withdraw to the wilderness to pray. And, as the end of his life approached, we read that while in the garden of Gethsemane, he withdrew from his disciples to pray by himself at this dark hour. For some it may be curious that Jesus would ever need to pray, for after all he was God - so some thoughtful souls may think his praying is somehow cyclical. But Jesus was not praying to himself, He was praying to his Father whom he loved, and to a Father who loved first. These times of prayer were deeply personal and profoundly relational. But what is it that Jesus would pray for?

In our Gospel reading today we can listen in as Jesus prays in preparation for the hour of his own crucifixion and death. This prayer is sometimes called Jesus's High Priestly Prayer since it is a prayer for petition, intercession and of mediation – prayers that are offered up to God by priests. If you read this chapter carefully you will see in it, reflections of both the Our Father prayer and the Eucharistic prayers we hear at Mass. Today we hear the first part of the High Priestly Prayer as Jesus prays for the Glorification of God and of his Son. In these words, both intimacy and love are made readily apparent. What we hear in Jesus’s prayer is played out in time as God the Father is glorified by Jesus and by his obedience and willingness to die for the sake of all humanity. Through this same sacrificial act Jesus himself is glorified by His Father. To be glorified means to make clearly apparent the fullness of God’s presence. This request for mutual glorification is a request that the eternal exchange of love and life between Father and Son be made manifest - let our love be revealed so all might see and know. The cross demonstrates both the love of the Father, who gives his one and only son for the salvation of all, and the Son who for the love of his Father obeys him in this perfect act of sacrifice and devotion. And so, the Glory of the Godhead is revealed and only further revealed, as Christ takes up his life again, demonstrating that neither sin nor death have power, but love and sacrifice do. God has already given authority over all people to the Son. By means of his glorious resurrection you and I now share in eternal life.

In praying for his disciples Jesus makes clear he does not pray for the world. Here the term 'world' means things to which the world inclines itself, towards selfishness, individual power, personal success at the price of another person, sin, evil, and darkness. Jesus's prayer is one of protection and unity in community and purpose, that we continue to remain in relationship with God and each other and in so doing to be seen by the world as giving glory to God. This is a prayer of petition since the way of the world is powerful and can certainly break the unity, community, and the family bonds that are fostered in love. In receiving the Word of God and the gift of relationship we inevitably find ourselves at odds with a world that may hate us, as it first hated Jesus. In the world, Jesus tells us, we will have trouble, but despite this we remain committed and united in Christ since this is the visible manifestation of our sharing in the divine communion. 

Our second reading from Peter reminds us that if we have trouble or suffer for our faith we do so in divine communion, since we are partaking in and are united to Christ’s suffering – joined to him, and not somehow suffering as one separated or alone. Though difficult or even terrible it is a participation in Christ’s cross and through this we are blessed since by this we believe we shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Our refuge is the Lord, and we desire to dwell in His house.

We know a little of Christ’s suffering and our part when we had, what can only be described as a significant and harrowing moment, as the largest satanic gathering every held took place at the Marriott hotel in Boston. Prudently the Archdiocese determined the appropriate response was one of prayer, at monasteries, convents, shrines, and churches. Here in Arlington, we gathered at St. Camillus for Eucharistic Adoration, prayer, and reflection. This was our upper room where we devoted ourselves with one accord to prayer and worship. It was a truly beautiful time of prayer in our community after which so many spoke positively of the experience and with smiles on their faces. Who would have thought that such a moment of trepidation and concern would have produced such blessing and peace. With Jesus with us, and the Holy Spirit guiding us, we would know God’s powerful and quiet presence and would experience something of his glory.

As community and as individuals we are to grow as people of prayer. Jesus continues to pray for the Church and for his disciples, and we are to do likewise. The world needs us, to continue to reflect God’s glory – the fullness of His presence. The world needs us, to be able to see that there is a radical way to live that is rich in purpose, strong in resilience, united in family, one in community, driven by love and selflessness. They need to learn what fear of the Lord means when we speak of it, and yet how deeply personal and profoundly relational our prayer life can be. By our example those broken by the world are given hope and a way forward. As Pope Francis has told us, we are a field hospital of aching and broken souls. I fear there will be only more souls broken, yet you and I have been placed in the here and now to be God’s field medics. We are to pray for and support our church and be ready to respond to the needs of those around us. We pray as community in the upper room, and individually and quietly on our own, as Jesus has taught us. This week, and as we prepare to welcome the Holy Spirit as at Pentecost, let us remain in prayer, glorifying God, offering any suffering and sacrifices, and asking for guidance on how to accomplish the work God has given each of us to do in this time and in this place.

Deacon Peter, St., Agnes Parish, Arlington, Massachusetts
May 27, 2023

Acts 1:12-14; Psalm 27:1-2, 4, 7, 8b; 1 Peter 4:13-16; John 17:1-11a