Father—May Be One Just As We Are One
>>> St JUSTIN, Martyr
St. Justin, a philosopher living in the second century, was an honest seeker of the truth. Disappointed at pagan philosophies, he came to recognize the way of Christ as the true philosophy and the full truth. After his conversion he served the Church as an apologist (defender of the faith) and founded in Rome the first school of Christian philosophy, a sort of catechumenate for those interested in Christianity. In this school and in his writings he presents Christianity as the complete and surpassing fulfillment of pagan thought and culture. Stating that no one gives up the truth for error when the judge condemned him, he was beheaded for his faith.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
we celebrate today the remembrance
of the philosopher and martyr St. Justin.
He did not cease to search for the truth
until he had found your Son Jesus Christ.
Like him, may we become restless
until we have discovered all the depth
of the love of your Son,
who is our way, our truth, our life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: ACTS 20:28-38
At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus: “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own Blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them. So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears. And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated. I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions. In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” When he had finished speaking he knelt down and prayed with them all. They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him, for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Responsorial PSALM 68:29-30, 33-35A, 35BC-36AB
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. or: Alleluia.
Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts. R.
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
“Confess the power of God!” R.
Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people. R.
Alleluia: JOHN 17:17B, 17A
Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: JOHN 17:11B-19
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. 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.”
Commentary
Prayer of Jesus
The gospels repeatedly tell us about Jesus leaving his disciples to spend entire nights in prayer to his Father. We are given no clues as to what and how exactly he prayed. Now, in the “Priestly Prayer” of Jesus in John 17, we have a glimpse to his style of prayer. And, how beautiful it is! Several features strike me: the absence of any litany of his own needs; overflowing sense of intimacy and familiarity with the Father; deep concern and care for his own disciples and everyone who will come to believe in him, asking the Father to protect them, consecrate them, and bring them to the kind of union that he shares with the Father…. If this prayer is any indication, can we imagine how central we and our concerns are for Jesus in his “daily conversation” with his Father? And to know that he has prayed for us—what greater security we need to let go of all our fears and anxieties!
Intercessions
– God, who love us all in Jesus your Son, let the Holy Spirit unite us as people who accept and love one another, we pray:
– God, unite in your Son Jesus all Churches who claim him as their Lord and Savior, we pray:
– God, let your Spirit give us an attitude of total acceptance and appreciation for one another, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, source of the truth and of all life,
we come with bread and wine
to join Jesus your Son
in his praise and thanks to you.
Accept our thanks for our faith,
which came to us as your free gift.
Let the Holy Spirit express in us
that we are happy to have found your Son
and to be his disciples
and through him to see fulfilled
our quest for life and love.
All thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
happy that we have your Son as our guide,
may we in your Church, like St. Justin,
be eager to make others know and love Jesus.
Do not even let the foolish wisdom of the cross
deter us from being faithful to him
and to proclaim him as the living Lord
who understands our sufferings
and who make us see
that even the difficulties of life make sense.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
Psalm 133 says, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) live in unity.” Jesus prayed that we could. Can we? Are we willing? May the Spirit give us the grace to become one. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!