When Jesus finished saying these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son can glorify you. You gave him authority over everyone so that he could give eternal life to everyone you gave him. This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created. “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from this world. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. This is because I gave them the words that you gave me, and they received them. They truly understood that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. “I’m praying for them. I’m not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. Everything that is mine is yours and everything that is yours is mine; I have been glorified in them. I’m no longer in the world, but they are in the world, even as I’m coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them in your name, the name you gave me, that they will be one just as we are one. (John 17:1-11, CEB)
On the seventh Sunday of Easter, we get a portion of this chapter each year of the three-year lectionary cycle. This first part is Jesus praying for himself. Jesus thanks God for all of the things he has received and for allowing him to come and share love with the world.
Do we thank God for letting us be here, and share love with the world? It seems hard now to want to share love with the world when it seems our country is trying to eradicate LGBTQIA+ people with legislation and keeping them from care. However, this is the time for us to speak in love. Speak and stand for the rights of those who are being held down and silenced so that God’s love is shown.
We need to claim the power that God gave us and thank God for us being here at this time so we can stand and show God’s love to the world.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 