Breaking the Word

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. 

His disciples said, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." (Jn 16:29-33)

Jesus was speaking in parables. He said many things regarding the kingdom in parables. When he spoke in parables the disciples were in need of explanations. Jesus fulfilled that as well. Now the disciples are saying that Jesus spoken plainly. Jesus is speaking about himself and the father. It is about his relationship with the father (real and personal) and hence he does need to use parables.

Jesus not only spoke about his relationship with the father so plainly, he also spoke about what the disciples will do when he is arrested. They will all run away leaving all alone. Jesus was not worried about being alone in the world because he is so sure that the father will be with him. The certainty that the father will be with him urges him to go ahead with his mission.

This assurance of the presence of God gives peace. There will be troubles in the world and Jesus has not come to remove the troubles and problems rather he has come to assure that the presence of God will bring peace and that peace will give courage to face the world.