June 4, 2019 – Tuesday of the 7^th Week of Easter

Jn 17: 1-11a

“I pray for them.” – Jn 17:9

We always ask our family members, friends and people we know to remember us in their prayers too. It is such a comfort that we are being remembered in the thoughts and prayers of others. When we celebrate special moments of our life, when we are sick, leaving home for studies or work, when we take challenging endeavours (such as taking board exams), struggling with our problems and concerns, or starting a new chapter of our life, we ask people we know to pray for us that will be given strength and wisdom, courage and faith.

In today’s Gospel, we have been reminded of the intimacy Jesus shared with his Father. This is shown on how Jesus prayed to the Father in heaven. Jesus expressed his confidence and at the same time the unity he has with the Father. What Jesus has is also of the Father’s. The glory of Jesus is also the glory of the Father. Hence, the suffering and pain of Jesus at his passion and even death is also shared by the Father.

All of these have been revealed to Jesus’ friends who were also so dear to the Father. Jesus treasures this friendship. And as a friend, Jesus manifests his concern by expressing his desire to pray for them. Jesus is about to leave physically in the world. But it does not mean that Jesus will abandon them.

Jesus prays for his friends. This means that Jesus remembers his friends in his thoughts. Being in the thought of Jesus also means that Jesus makes his person present in the life of his friends. It is a promise of faithfulness and of constant presence of God.

Today, Jesus reminds us too, that he prays for us and with us. We can say this confidently, Jesus prays with me because he remembers me and he is with me.

Being remembered by Jesus in his prayers, let us make an effort too, to pray for others today. Pray for your friends, for your family members and those who really need our prayers. Prayer will make us more conscious of others as we become one with them in their hopes, joy and suffering. In prayer, we also become more present with God as we grow in our confidence and faith in Him who has called us and loved us. Hinaut pa unta.

Jom Baring, CSsR