All I have is yours and all you have is mine

Seventh Sunday of Easter Year A - 24th May 2020

Gospel John 17: 1–11

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: ‘Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you; and, through the power over all mankind that you have given him, let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him.

And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have glorified you on earth and finished the work that you gave me to do. Now, Father, it is time for you to glorify me with the glory I had with you before ever the world was.

I have made your name known to the men you took from the world to give me. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now at last they know that all you have given me comes indeed from you; for I have given them the teaching you gave to me, and they have truly accepted this, that I came from you, and have believed that it was you who sent me.

I pray for them; I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they belong to you: all I have is yours and all you have is mine and in them I am glorified. I am not in the world any longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.’

Reflection - from St Beuno's Outreach

I prepare for my prayer time slowly, becoming aware of my body, mind, heart; bringing whatever arises to the Lord. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me pray with a listening, humble heart.

When ready, I savour and linger over these profound words of Jesus, relishing their divine wisdom, letting them resonate within my being. I may not want to read the whole passage at once; I can return to it later.

Perhaps I find myself conversing with God; being drawn into a deeper relationship with the Father and the Son as revealed to me through Scripture.

Perhaps I become aware that God desires to share his life and the wonder of his glory with me now, especially in these difficult days.

Once again, I speak with the Lord, either in words from my heart, or silently, allowing spontaneous feelings to arise from within.

When I am ready, I mark the end of my time with the Lord with a gesture (such as the sign of the cross) or my own prayer. Maybe I note what has been significant during this time, and can later share this with a friend.