Daily Devotion for Thursday 17th July 2025

St John 17: 6 – 19

Jesus said: ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the 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 is from you;  for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.  I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.  All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.  And 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.  While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled.  But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.  I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.  They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.  As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Reflection

Sometimes we sit with a passage and look for complex theology and meaning. This passage requires no deep thinking; it is a beautiful, perhaps challenging, prayer by Christ on behalf of his disciples.  In these few short verses Jesus demonstrates his love for those he is leaving to continue his work. Jesus is well aware that he has been their protector, teacher, and leader; they are just fledglings. However, Jesus wants them to fly high, to birth and nurture his Church, and to be his voice and presence on earth.

So, he pray a prayer full of expectation, anticipation, hope, and love. A prayer in which Christ reveals God’s name, intention, character, and power. A prayer where the disciples then, and us now,  are given a knowledge of God that leads to, and holds us in, faith.

Jesus asks God to spiritually protect the disciples and leaves, moving in and around us all, the Holy Spirit to be our strength. In our world where war, hatred, greed, and destruction of creation rages the Spirit’s protection is our armour and we should use it wisely and well.

Jesus’ prayers for unity for the sanctification of the disciples; not for them to be taken out of the world rather, to be a full active part of the world in order that they can become leading beacons of light.

This amazing prayer teaches many things while asking for protection in this dangerous world where love has become a dirty word, where neighbour has become a stranger, where compassion for both humanity and creation is looked on as a weakness.  So we pray “God be with us”

Prayer

Creator,
help us to pray, 
to bring all our worries and concerns before you 
in the way our Lord taught us to.
Help us to put our concerns for others before ourselves 
but not to be afraid of asking for your help.
Help us be the beacons of light 
that illuminate the way for all we meet,
to live a life that shines Christ.
In the unity of the Creator, Son and Spirit, 
hear our prayer. Amen.