Acts 20: 17-27,
Psalm 68: 1 0-11, 20-21,
John 17:1-11a Full Readings
Saint John I, Pope
Finishing the Mission
The two readings today present to us a similar message, about finishing the mission which one has been entrusted with. In the First Reading, Paul rejoices from having finished the mission which Christ had entrusted to him. He did not hesitate to preach the Gospel with all humility and despite all persecution and rejections he boldly preached the Good news of Christ even up to dying. In this way he glorified God and he is now giving farewell to all his hearers and awaits the way Jesus will glorify Him.
The similar message is seen in the Gospel, Jesus’ high priestly prayer, (the whole of Chapter 17, is referred to as Jesus’ High Priestly prayer which sums up the life and mission of Jesus). Jesus says that the time has come for the Father to glorify His son and the Son to glorify God the Father. What time was Jesus talking about? It was His crucifixion and death on the cross. With the cross Jesus was to accomplish His mission which was to make known God on Earth and to bring His kingdom as well as gathering people as one flock and He as a shepherd; we see Jesus rejoicing for having completed this mission. In this way, he glorified God, the Father who sent Him to the earth, but in a more solid way, Jesus glorified God on the Cross. God glorified Jesus by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at the throne as the Lord of all the earth and heaven.
He prays for us that we may remain one, united as a family of God who heard and accepted His word from the lips of Jesus Christ. He knows what really takes place in this world, how temptations are many, and how faithless the world is and so since we are in it, we need divine intervention to remain firm in faith and believing in God. That's what Jesus really prays for us. Furthermore, He knows how hard it may be to do Father's will and so he had to pray for us to have courage and strength to undertake that mission. Jesus' prayer for us will be fulfilled when He sends the Holy Spirit to us to enable us to live in this world.
In both cases of Paul and Jesus, we see that there were a lot of difficulties in carrying out their mission and at the end all of them died because of their mission. This should also be in our minds that in carrying out our mission given to us by God in this world, we have to expect difficulties but as Jesus conquered, we shall also conquer.
The invitation today is for us to employ all our capacities and strengths with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to accomplish our mission and everything entrusted to us in this world. Our mission is, first of all, to love God and His Son through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and then to love our fellows and serve them through the daily activities, responsibilities and jobs we do. This should be done with the highest level of humility guided by love and service for humanity and it will enable us to say at last, that we have done our part and we await for God to glorify us and take us with him to enjoy eternal life.
Reflect today on how far you are with the Mission entrusted to you by God? Pray to God that He will always guide you to accomplish it each day that passes and that at last you will rejoice for the work well done.
Let us Pray
Father, I entrust all that I do into your able hands. May they be a way of fulfilling my mission in this world so that I may glorify you through them and at last glorify me as I live with you in eternity. Amen.
Blessed Easter Season and don't forget to pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit.
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