Oneness with the Father and the Son and with One Another

In today's Gospel, John 17: 20-26, Jesus prays that you and I--all humankind--will be one with each other, as He and the Father are one.  "...[M]ay all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us,  that the world may believe that you sent me."  Jesus then reminds His Father that He has given [us] the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one....Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me."

This is Jesus, our brother, our Savior, speaking about us, sharing His deepest desires for us. He wants us to reach the perfection of oneness with one another that exists between Himself and His Father.  We may hear that and say: "No way. Look at all the divisions that exists within families, within our political, ecclesial, social, educational, medical communities, between countries, ideologies, philosophies, spiritualities and so on! Unity? No way!" However,   God is all powerful. He brought together Jews and Gentiles in His day. Paul and other early evangelizers witnessed divisions being resolved in big ways. We can too and will because the power of the Holy Spirit is greater than any opposition to unity!

My prayer:  may I work toward unity, Lord, with You and with others. May my will be one with Yours.  May those whose behaviors are corrupted by power and by securing wealth dishonestly have their eyes opened to Satan's deceptive ways. May I know when I have been deceived by Satan, also.
I ask this in Jesus' name.

You are a gift to Jesus from His Father

In today’s Gospel, John 17: 20-26, Jesus says to His Father, and ours:  “…they [you and I] are your gift to me.”  Hear Jesus saying to you: “You are the Father’s gift to me.”  All of us, young and old, married or unmarried, single or divorced, lesbian or homosexual, heterosexual or transsexual, white or black, Hispanic or Asian, Native American or African American or any other nationality, homeless or sheltered, mentally or physically ill, want to hear someone say to us: you are a gift to me. Every husband and wife wants to hear that from each other.   In today’s Gospel, it is Jesus saying to each one of us: You are a gift to me from my Father.  Each person, no matter how ugly we may think we are or we may think another is: Jesus says “You are a gift to Me from my Father.”  Jesus prays to the Father that we may “all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us.” What a prayer!   And it will not go unanswered! And again He prays:  “…may they  be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.”  Perfection will be ours and will be culminated in eternity. We are on the road, through Christ Jesus, that leads us to perfection in Him, through Him, and with Him.  What a glorious heritage, bought at the price of Jesus death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, from whence the Spirit of God is sent to dwell within each of us!

Praise God!