Homily for Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year C

The readings for Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year C may be found at:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060125-Sunday.cfm

Today, we hear six verses

from the evangelist St. John,

most commonly referred to 

as Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.

At the time Jesus speaks these words, 

He has done no less than

34 recorded miracles, 

taught 40 or so parables, 

been involved in countless confrontations with others 

and given several eloquent discourses 

including the Sermon on the Mount 

and the Last Supper.

But there’s something a bit different 

about what we hear today.

He is at the end of His public ministry, 

reflecting on all 

that has come before 

as He prays. 

First, He prays for Himself, 

then prays for His disciples 

and lastly 

He prays for the church – 

He prays 

for you 

and He prays 

for me. 

This is the longest prayer 

in the New Testament 

and it’s where we see 

where His heart is at the very end 

of His human life.

He knows what is coming,

so He prays.

You know, 

you can learn a lot about somebody 

by listening to them pray. 

If we listen carefully,

we can catch a glimpse 

of their relationship with God, 

their priorities, 

and their openness 

to God’s work in their life

When we listen to this prayer of Jesus, 

we can learn a lot about our Savior. 

Especially, 

given these words are spoken 

a few hours 

before He will face humiliation, 

torture,

crucifixion 

and death. 

We don’t see worry, 

anxiety, 

doom 

or gloom.

We don’t see any of those things.

As Jesus prays, 

what we see 

is confidence in God’s love,

addressing God as Father,

an outward sign of 

His absolute trust and affection.

He knows His Father’s 

compassion, 

love and 

the calling He has been given.

He is also confident in God’s plan.

Jesus prays for oneness.

A oneness built 

Not on knowing about God

but on actually knowing God. 

In this prayer, 

Jesus stands between humanity 

and the Father, 

interceding for us all, 

about to seal his prayer 

not just with an Amen,

but with his own blood on the cross.

This is Jesus’ final earthly intercession 

for His disciples and us.

Notice what is on Jesus’ heart 

at this most critical moment. 

Unity for the entire Church throughout history. 

His desire for us 

to share in the love and glory 

that the Father and Son have shared 

“before the foundation of the world”.

He prays for our togetherness, 

our perseverance, 

and our ability to bear witness to the world. 

This prayer 

should be a great comfort to us.

But it should also be a challenge.

While it assures us that Jesus, 

our High Priest, 

continues to intercede for us, 

He also calls us 

to do things 

that we struggle with at times.

Living out this prayer 

involves 

both our relationship with God 

and our relationships with others. 

Living out this prayer demands we examine

our own behavior.

Do we seek common ground in Jesus, 

focusing on our shared faith,

rather than our different backgrounds, 

cultures or opinions?

Do we avoid gossip, 

divisiveness, 

and cliques; instead, 

working to resolve differences 

with humility and forgiveness?

Are we active in church life, 

so that unity is not just an idea

in our head,

but in our heart - a lived reality?

Do we show love to others, 

especially those 

who are different from us, 

as a testimony to the world 

of God’s love?

Does our unity with Jesus and His church 

shape our attitudes and actions, 

reflecting His love and glory on a daily basis?

When we pray,

do we pray, 

not just for our own needs, 

but for the needs and growth 

of the whole community?

Do we take the initiative 

to heal broken relationships, 

seeking forgiveness in the sacrament of confession

and offering forgiveness freely, 

as Christ does to us.

And do we do these things hard things

joyfully 

as an outwardly visible sign 

of our love, 

so it can draw others closer to Jesus?

After all, 

who wants to spend time with a bunch of holy, 

but miserable people?

By living out Jesus’ prayer, 

for unity, 

we make 

His love 

visible to the world 

and in the process 

shape our own relationship with God, 

our priorities, 

and hone our openness 

to God’s work in our lives.

Becoming one,

As Jesus prayed for us to do,

for the Church to be one,

just as Jesus and the Father 

are one.