I pray not only for them

16 MAY (Jn 17,20-26)

Jesus’ conscience does not stop at the present moment, because his responsibility as regards the salvation of souls does not just concern his historical time of this particular moment. In his hands the Father placed the redemption of all humanity. His responsibility encompasses all the time and every man. The whole universe was given to him so that he leads it to the Father. This universal vision is admirably sung by Paul in his Christological hymns.

Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.

He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross (through him), whether those on earth or those in heaven. (Col 1,9-20).

We are lacking just this conscience. We do not know our truth. We ignore our real responsibility with relation to the salvation of souls. Having we received the same mission of Jesus, we do not have only a few or many souls to save. We are asked to save the world in Him, with Him, for Him. A universal, cosmic mission weighs down on our shoulders. We are not asked to take care only of the present time. The whole history needs to be brought by us to redemption, and that is why it is right that we live this great mystery in the fullness of faith.

“I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may 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. And I have given them 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, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. 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, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”

Jesus knows that his disciples must continue in Him, with Him, through Him, in their body of flesh, the mission of salvation. No one might ever be his instrument if he does not become one thing with Him and the Father in the Holy Spirit. Today, in this time of great spiritual suffering, he prays for those who are before him, but also for all those who through their word would have believed in Him. This prayer of Jesus is for all believers, of all time. Now every believer knows what to do with his life. He must unite it with that of Jesus so that it becomes one true thing with it.

Between Christ and each of his disciples there must not be two lives, but only one. If you have only one life with Christ, you also have one life with every other disciple of Jesus. When among the disciples of Jesus there is not only one life, it is a sign that you have not one life with Jesus. Having two lives, that of Jesus and the other of the disciple, there are also two lives between one disciple and the other. Every ecclesial division is first of all a Christological and even Trinitarian division. He is one with the brothers who is one with Christ Jesus.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints constitute us in unity with Jesus.