Lent: Day 28

Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one you sent, Jesus Christ. 

I glorified you on the earth, and accomplished the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me with your own self, the glory I had with you before the world existed. I revealed your name to the people you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me. They have kept your word. Now they know all things you gave me are from you; the words you gave me I gave them, and they received them; they know I came from you, and they have believed you sent me. 

I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you gave me, for they are yours. All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no more in the world; I am coming to you, but they are in the world. Holy Father, keep them through your name, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name. None of them is lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 

Now I come to you. I say these things in the world that they may have my joy made full in themselves. I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth. 

As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. For their sake I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 

Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you. May they also be one in us; that the world will believe you sent me. The glory you gave me, I gave them that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, whole and complete, that the world may know you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. 

Father, I want them also to be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you, and they knew you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Reflection

It is common to think eternal life refers to what happens after we die, but Jesus says eternal life is to know him, and God through him. This eternal life is not about living forever in heaven, but having here and now a unique quality of life, the good life, abundant life. How much is your faith centered on going to heaven? Is following Jesus its own reward here on earth? 

Prayer: What a privilege and blessing, Lord, to connect with you now and to look forward to an amazing future!