Knowing God: The Resurrected Life and the Great Commission
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
John 17:1-11a
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.
Grace Prayed For
Father, we thank you for the gift of knowing you through your Son, Jesus Christ, made possible by the power of the resurrection. Grant us the grace to truly grasp the depth of this intimate knowledge and the boldness to live out the Great Commission, sharing this life-giving knowledge with others.
Reflection
Imagine standing there with the disciples, the weight of Jesus’ impending suffering heavy in the air. Yet, as he lifts his eyes to the Father, a profound sense of peace emanates from him. He speaks not of his own fear, but of glorifying the Father. The resurrection has not yet happened, but its power is already present in his words, a certainty that transcends the cross. “Eternal life,” he says, “is that they should know you.” This isn’t just intellectual knowledge, but an intimate, experiential knowing – the very knowing that was shattered by sin and restored through the resurrection.
Now, post-resurrection, these words take on an even deeper meaning for us. We, too, have been given the gift of knowing the Father through Jesus. The glory Jesus speaks of isn’t just his own; it’s the glory he shares with us, the glory of being children of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit. He consecrated himself for our sake, and now he sends us into the world, just as the Father sent him. This isn’t a command given in isolation, but one rooted in the very unity Jesus shares with the Father and desires for us. The resurrection shattered the power of sin and death, equipping us with the very life of God to go and make disciples, to share the intimate knowledge of the Father that we have received. It is through this resurrected life within us that we fulfill his Great Commission, not as a burden, but as a natural outflow of our union with him.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage offers a profound glimpse into Jesus’ own intimacy with the Father, revealing the depth of love and unity that exists within the Trinity. By understanding his prayer for his disciples – and for all who would believe through their word – we come to see the immense value he places on our relationship with him and the Father. Knowing that he prayed for our unity, our protection, and our participation in his glory draws us into a deeper sense of belonging and love for the one who made such a profound sacrifice and now shares his resurrected life with us.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post