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     The "High Priestly Prayer" and the "Farewell Discourse" come to an end today.  But the ending contains an important part of the prayer.  Jesus prays not only for "these" (the disciples) but also for "those who will believe in me through their word..."   We may recall that Jesus has charged the disciples with "bearing fruit," which is the missionary task of bringing others to believe in Jesus.  In this part of the prayer, Jesus envisions those efforts as successful and prays for all those who will hear the preaching of the disciples and come to belief.

     Pope Francis, in his document THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL, charges all baptized Catholics to become "missionary disciples."  We Catholics are not really accustomed to thinking of ourselves as missionaries.  We either see such people as members of religious orders who go outside the U.S.A. or else we think of non-Catholic missionaries who come to our doors. "Sharing the faith" often means to us that we happen to go to the same Catholic parish as some other folks!  

     The "New Evangelization" movement is designed to reach out to other Catholics, especially those who have given up on the church.  These folks need our witness as much as non-Catholics.  If we reach out to them, we can be sure that Jesus is praying for them and for us as we open the door and invite them to come back in.  As we leave our reflection on the Farewell Discourse, we leave with Jesus' prayers for us.  On Friday, the scene will shift to the shores of the Sea of Galilee and events after the resurrection.  AMEN