THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER OF JESUS
Today’s 7th Sunday of Easter occurs between the Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost, marking the final Sunday of the Easter season, and places us in the Upper Room with Mary and the apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit.
It is a time when the Church remembers what it means to wait on God, fostering a desire for the Holy Spirit and serves as a spiritual preparation for Pentecost. This Sunday serves as a bridge transitioning us from the celebration of Ascension toward the empowerment of Pentecost. It is a time to reflect on our being one with Christ, strengthened by His presence and the mission to live as Easter people.
The Gospel reading John 17:1-11 of Jesus praying to His Father, is a favourite Bible verse for many. We read that it is about midnight and the day has come that Christ is to be arrested and crucified. They are on the way to Gethsemane close to the temple, where the high priest on the day of Atonement in the book of Leviticus 16, mediated between God and the people. The high priest would offer threefold intercessory prayers for himself, priests and the people of God, and a sacrifice offering is made on the day. Here in the New Testament, we see a parallel - Jesus in His role of the ultimate High Priest prays to the Father and reveals three prayers – Jesus consecrates Himself, and prays for the apostles and the whole church. Jesus prays that He Himself may be glorified, for the protection and sanctification of the Apostles knowing they will face challenges, and for present and future believers to experience complete unity, mirroring the oneness between Him and the Father. Jesus offers His life as the final sacrifice fulfilling the role of the high priest on the Day of Atonement. This reading is known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus.
Jesus’ words help us reflect the importance of our relationship with God – it is a living relationship. In John 17:9, Jesus in the prayer says “I pray for them” - it brings much joy and thanksgiving that Jesus prays for you and me, for our unity just as He and the Father are in complete unity (John 17:21). This passage invites us to ask – Do I take the time to grow my relationship with God? And do I trust that God is working in me even in difficult moments? We are invited to open our hearts to God, so that we may live with hope, trust and a deeper awareness of His presence.
Jesus prays to the Father “the hour has come for You to glorify Me” (John 17:1). We know that Jesus has no selfish motive, rather He prays for the Father to give glory to Him, so that He may glorify the Father as He prepares to finish the work that would give eternal life to us who belong in Him (John 17:2).
In John 17:3, Jesus teaches that God is eternal life and the key to true life is for us to know “the only true God and Jesus Christ.” The Gospel centres on revealing Jesus as the Son who makes the Father known, and the deep relationship between the Father and the Son. As the model for the Church’s unity, connecting us to our purpose, and guiding us to live as a community. With the many diverse backgrounds and experiences, inevitably there are disagreements, but Jesus calls us to remain one in Him. We know that being united does not mean we always agree on everything. It means we support one another and stay focused on Jesus.
In the first reading, Acts 1:12-14 after Jesus’ ascension, Mary and the apostles return to Jerusalem and are gathered in the upper room in prayer, awaiting the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised would come upon them. They remained faithful, devoting themselves as a community in one accord in prayer and unity. While they do not know what will happen next, they trust in Jesus’ words and these remind us to remain steadfast in prayer, faith, patience and in support of one another. This is a good example of unity that Jesus prays for in His prayer, and brings to mind how we can do better and work towards unity in personal prayer, family, in ministries, in classes, communities and other times when we come together.
The Second Reading 1 Peter 4:13-16, emphasizes if we want to share in the glory of Christ, we are to always share Christ’ generous and limitless love to others. As described by St. Irenaeus (2nd century AD) “the Glory of God is a human being fully alive,” flourishing in both body and soul, through participation in the life of Christ. Jesus’ prayer gives us a mission – not just to remember His words but to live and share them. We know that often witnessing happens through the life we live, our actions, words, attitudes and choices, and many are already doing so at home, at work, and in society. These could be in the daily things we do and every moment of our lives - when one is on the bus, a cab driver, family members, colleagues, in school, when we buy a cup of coffee and the list goes on. These go towards bringing unity and Christ’ presence into the world, adding more joy, peace and hope in the lives of others and ourselves. Jesus prayed that all believers would be filled with God’s love. We can be part of answering that prayer by sharing His love with the world.
As Pope Francis writes “Prayer allows us to see one another the way God our Father sees us, and to realize that we are brothers and sisters. Through prayer we can enter into a stable relationship with God, the source of true joy.” When we pray, we are not just saying words. We are speaking to God, who listens and cares for us. Through the Sacraments and when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we are united with Him. When we come together for Mass, we are not just individuals we are one body in Christ. When we pray for one another, we stay united and strengthen our bond as members of the Church. As in the Responsorial Psalm 27 - to stay faithful, to trust in God’s protection and have a desire to dwell in His presence, for His mercy and guidance in our lives.
Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel reminds us that we are never alone and He continues to intercede for us. We are connected to Christ and to one another, and Christ wants us to “have the full measure of My joy within them” (John 17:13). This 7th Sunday of Easter encourages us to constantly and in difficult times to trust in God, to seek unity in the Church, and to love others as Christ loves us. We are given strength, courage and guidance for the mission, we pray:
Father, Jesus prayed for us to know You, to be united, and to love one another. Help us grow in faith and trust in Your plan. Strengthen our relationships with You and with those around us. May we follow Jesus’ example in prayer and love. May we take His words to heart and live them out each day. Keep us close to You always. Amen.
Article by Olivia Tan, HFC Blog Contributor