This is the seventh Sunday of Easter, the last one before we move to Pentecost next Sunday. What have we encountered during this Easter season? Recently I have encountered the death of several friends. This has caused me to reflect on the meaning of eternal life. In our Gospel today John tells us that the answer is found through being in relationship with God who created the universe: ‘this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ’. Eternal life isn’t just about what happens after we die it is about the quality of life we have in the here and now.
In Acts Jesus ascends into the clouds and leaves this world. The disciples are more confused than ever as to Jesus’ mission and their part in it. They have been on an emotional seesaw since the crucifixion on Good Friday, the resurrection on Easter Sunday and the wonder of Jesus being back amongst them, albeit coming and going!
During his incarnation on earth in his busy ministry, it was essential for Jesus to communicate with his Father God in prayer. What we call the Lord’s Prayer is the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. John gives us the words of the prayer Jesus prayed for himself and his disciples, including us, before he faced the agony of the crucifixion ‘now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.’ He prays for protection from disunity and the ways of the world. We are called to swim against the tide of the values of the world. The ascended Jesus bears the marks of the crucifixion that show the glory of his suffering love that put us right with God. Peter tells us to rejoice inasmuch as we participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that we may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Jesus prays that they, and us, may live in unity as he is in unity with the Trinity. Jesus commissions them to stick together and keep praying!
Jesus prays for his glorification, defined as to praise, honour, to clothe in splendour. Jesus is going to be restored to his place in heaven as before his incarnation. His work on earth, cumulating on the cross, is soon to be completed. Jesus came that God may be made known to the world and to show the glory of God: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth”. God created this world for the purpose of having unity with all of creation. Jesus demonstrated this by truly listening to and ‘knowing’ people’s hearts. The Samaritan woman at the well told others that Jesus knew everything about her and he loved her, warts and all. During the wedding at Canna Jesus turned water into the very best wine and there was abundance of it! These examples demonstrate his loving relationship with us. He came to bring us the joy that comes by being put right with God through his sacrifice for us. His prayer is for the continuation of his message by his disciples down the ages, including us!
Angela Stewart, Lay Minister