Word to the Wise
Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 7th Week of Easter - Tues
[Acts 20:17-27 and John 17:1-11a]Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. [John]
Today's gospel scripture passage begins the last of the chapters (14-17) that make up the "Farewell Discourse" at the Last Supper in the Gospel According to John. As with the previous chapters, it has the quality of a "stream of consciousness" speech but, in this final chapter, in the context of a prayer. Scripture scholars have referred to this chapter as the "High Priestly prayer" of Jesus in which he addresses his Father on his own behalf as well as that of the disciples. Even in the few lines from the beginning of the chapter some major themes of the whole gospel are evident. The first is that Jesus is the One whom God has sent. A second is that belief in Jesus IS eternal life. In other words, eternal life is not something that begins with physical death but begins with faith in Jesus, even in our messy sinful world! A third is that his "hour" has come for his being lifted up (remember the dialogue with his mother at Cana [2:4] and with Nicodemus at night [3:14-15]
The everyday life of first century Palestinian Jews that features so strongly in the portraits of Jesus in the three synoptic gospels seems to disappear in the Gospel According to John. The multitude of parables and miracles is pared down to a few dramatic encounters followed by discourses about Jesus' identity and mission. What can challenge us is the teaching that faith in Jesus is the beginning of eternal life. We have the pledge that he "remains" in us through the Holy Spirit and in his Body and Blood that we consume. The "Prologue" to this gospel beautifully expresses all this: And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. [John 1:14] AMEN.