The All Inclusive Prayer

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 22:30; 23:6-11 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~ John 17:20-26 ~~~

 

The glorious Easter season is coming to a close.

But rather than an ending it is the beginning of our life in the Spirit.

God will never leave us alone.

 

In the Gospel today Jesus continues his prayer for us.

He can feel the breath of the one who will betray him

 yet he prays for you and me.

He could have spent his last hours isolated calming his fears

anticipating his own painful death,

but instead he chooses to pray for us.

 

He models for us the power of prayer in all circumstances of our life.

 

 This prayer for is so long that the church breaks it into two Gospel readings.

This prayer is so profound that we must take at least two days to reflect on the words.

Perhaps we will not ever truly appreciate the meaning of this prayer.

 

Jesus was on earth and was subject to the restraints of time,

but he is also of heaven where there is no time.

Since he is one with the Father he exists in both dimensions simultaneously.

 

His prayer is for us just as real and timely as if we were

present in that upper room.

We are given the privilege of hearing Jesus

intercede to his Father on our behalf.

 

 Long before our actual existence

Jesus prayed that we could actually be with him.

He almost longs for all of mankind to appear at once as one with him.

 

 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
“I pray not only for these,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one...

 

It is both humbling and comforting to reflect on these words of Jesus.

His conversation with the Father raises us up...

gives us his glory.

He longs for us to be united with him for all eternity.

 

I envision Jesus reaching out into the future during this prayer,

 drawing all of us to him;

binding us with himself to the Father.

He wants us to share their intimacy of oneness.

A great surge of humanity being absorbed into this person of Jesus,

because he chose us to be his own.

He wants us to share in the richness of the friendship he has with the Father.

He gives us access to our eternal inheritance...

the unconditional love of the Father.

 

Today we have available all inclusive resort vacations;

through Jesus we have something much more.

Jesus prays the all inclusive prayer,

that we will one day partake in his glory. 

 

He prays that we may be brought to perfection...wholeness.

A perfect wholeness that can only come through uniting ourselves with him.

 

 

Father, they are your gift to me.

 

How can we possibly be a gift to Jesus?

There is nothing that we have to give him

except our frail human existence.

 

This is what he seems content in having;

us just as we are.

God the Father gives us to Jesus and Jesus sees us as gift.

What more could we ask for than to have Jesus intercede on our behalf to the Father?

I can think of nothing else.

So I ask myself, 'how have I packaged myself as gift for Jesus'?

Am I more focused on the ribbons and wrapping paper or the content of my heart?

More for future honest truthful reflection.

Won't you join me in cherishing

each word of this prayer from the lips of Jesus.

You just might no longer feel the need

 to wrap yourself up for Jesus.