Breaking the Word

And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. (Jn 17:11-19)

One of the contents of Jesus prayer is unity. He prays for the unity among his disciples. The unity that Jesus prays for his disciples is supposed to reflect the unity of the father and the son. The model or the goal is very clear. This only goes to say that any disunity among disciples is a scandal. Shall we say that any division among disciples is a scandal?

Jesus believed that whatever happens in the world is in fulfilment of the scriptures. He says this with regard to his mission. He was sent to bring the word of God to his disciples and protect them. He has done so. But only one was lost and that too happened according to the scriptures.  

What is truth? Pilate asked Jesus and Jesus did not reply him. He kept silent. Here in his prayer to the father he is very clear about truth. He says your word is truth. Word of God is truth and Jesus himself is the word and he is the truth. 

When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. "I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. (Jn 17:1-11)

Jesus prays to the father. Prayer is to glorify the father. Prayer is primarily to glorify the father. Prayer reveals the relationship that exists between the father and Jesus. Prayer of everyone should be so: it should reveal the relationship that exists. If there is no relationship then there is no prayer. Relationship should be that of father and son; creator and creature.

Reward of this relationship and reward of prayer is eternal life. Eternal life is not something of the other world or the next world. Eternal life is here and now. It happens now. Knowledge of God and Jesus is eternal life. Knowledge is not something of intellectual activity. Knowledge is experiential and personal. This knowledge gives eternal life.

Jesus prays for the disciples. He prays for them because God has given them to him; they have listened to him; they know the word; they are in the world; they are not of the world. They need the care and concern and protection of God. They also need the assistance of God and hence Jesus prays for these disciples. Prayer involves the disciples primarily.