WHAT HE SAID WAS TRUE

 JOHN 21:20-24 THE OTHER DISCIPLE

Peter turned round and was behind him the other disciple, whom Jesus loved- the one who had learned close to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord who is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

Jesus answered him, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you? Follow me.”

So a report spread among the followers of Jesus that this disciple would not die; he said “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you?”
 He is the disciple who spoke of these things, the one who also write them down; and we know that what he said is true.
 

John the beloved disciple, whom our Lord mandated to take care of Mary His mother before his death on the cross gave the testimony of Christ divinity, and true His identity as the Son of God.  Who could have given an accurate account of the life of Jesus Christ if not the beloved disciple? He must have learnt a lot about Jesus from the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. For I know they will always discuss about Him. What mother wouldn’t do so to keep the sweet and bitter memory of her Son?

Every mother does that, and our Mother Mary would not be an exception. .Why should some people come up and debunk the story of our Lord? If they could accept that of the prophets in the Old Testament and John the Baptist Christ forerunner; why must they argue about Christ? 

At their births (prophets) and their callings, they have their different peculiarities but that of Christ was unique.  They did not claim to be the messiah but they spoke about His coming. None did say he is the Son of God, except Christ, and He was sure of His identity He did not say I think, but truly I say to you. All His statement about His union with God was same even unto death He did not deny, nor renounce His identity, His unity and His oneness with God the Father.

At the Lamb's High Feast

Come to me Beloved

My God I love you

Beautiful Saviour

Hallelujah

Psalm 13    He who sings prays twice Saint Augustine

please songs/chants not produced, reproduction is prohibited

PETER DO YOU LOVE ME

JOHN 21:15-19  After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more that these others do?” “Yes Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.”  Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.” A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.”  Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” A third time Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was sad because Jesus asked him the third time. “Do you love me?” so he said to him, “Lord you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.

I am telling you the truth, when you were young, you used to get ready ad go anywhere you wanted to, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will bind you and take you where you don’t want go to.” (in saying this, Jesus was indicating the way in which Peter would die and bring glory to God). Then Jesus said to him, Follow me.”

Do not be surprised at disciples not recognizing Jesus. Sometimes it happens to us also. We wonder where and when we met some people. Peter in excitement jumped into the river to meet the Lord. He did not remember his betrayal because he understood the loving Heart of his Master. How often do we run away from God when we sin? Peter is a perfect example for us to emulate. We should know that our loving Father is ever ready to receive and welcome us whenever we run to Him.

 For us Catholics, Jesus handed the authority/leadership to Peter, when he told him He gave him the keys to the kingdom. Now before departing, He needed Peter’s confession of love to Him because the true heart of a leader is love and compassion. Christ also gave him the responsibilities of  first caring for His lambs, secondly caring for His sheep, repeated twice. 

We have successive Popes, we are aware they could make mistakes as human, but the Catholic Church is Christ’s Bride. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Catholic Church, though sinners are we, Christ came to save sinners. We believe by God's grace, we shall be saved not by our own efforts and good works. But each time we make efforts, whenever we fall like Peter and the rests of the Saints, we get up and continue striving to be better Christians.

JESUS APPEARS TO SEVEN DISCIPLES

JOHN 21: 1-14  After this, Jesus appeared once more to his disciples at Lake Tiberias. This is how it happened. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael (the one from Cana in Galilee), the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.  Simon Peter said to the others, “I am going fishing.”

 “We will come with you,” they told him. So they went out in a boat, but all that night they did not catch a thing. As the sun was rising, Jesus stood at the water’s edge, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then he asked them, “Young men, haven’t you caught anything?”

“Not a thing,” they answered. He said to them, “Throw your net out on the right side of the boat, and you will catch come.” So they threw the net out and could not pull it back in, because they had caught so many fish.

The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment round him (for he had taken his clothes off ) and jumped into the water. The other disciples came to shore in the boat, pulling the net full of fish. They were not very far from land, about a hundred metres away.  When they stepped ashore, they saw fish on it and some bread. Then Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore full of big fish, 153 in all; even though there were so many, still the net did not tear. Jesus said to them, Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. So Jesus went over, took the bread and gave it to them; he did same with the fish.
 This, then, was the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from death.

THE PURPOSE OF JOHN’S GOSPEL

JOHN 20:30

 In his disciples’ presence Jesus performed many other miracles which are not written down in this book. But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in him you may have life.

Father in heaven, so many times I ask why me? Jesus came to set us free from bondage for you, Father so love the world that you gave to your Son Jesus Christ my Lord.  Thank you Father for your greatness and majesty. 

Father I praise you for the gift of your Son, I thank you for your blessings. Thank you Jesus Christ my Lord and Master. Father may your will be done in my life.

Mary my mother pray for me. 

Pray the Holy Rosary

Hail Thou Star of Ocean

I WILL NOT BELIEVE

 JESUS AND THOMAS JOHN 20:24-29 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came. So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe/”

 A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then stretch out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!”

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me?”

 I think only John narrated this incidence because he wanted to prove a point that Christ did rose from death. Putting ones finger on the scars and  on His side, and the nails on Hand.  If it is true the wounds will be fresh. Thomas did saw His pierced side, the scars of the wounds of Christ.  Interestingly, Jesus knew their conversation, so He addressed Thomas and invited him to do as he had spoken.

CONDITION FOR FORGIVENESS

IF YOU FORGIVE PEOPLE’S SINS THEY ARE FORGIVEN JOHN 20:19-23

It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.  Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” 

Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people’s sins they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
 

Our Lord Jesus Christ breathed on the disciples an empowerment to forgive Sin and retain Sin. If we can recall after healing the man at the pool  in John Chapter 5:1-18  “Do you want to get” the man reply was no one to put him in the pool, But Jesus being the WORD spoke the WORD asking him to get up, pick his bed and walk. There was argument because he was healed on a Sabbath. Later Jesus found him in the Temple and said:  “Listen, you are well now, so stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”14 . Sin is very destructive; its consequence is very devastating It destroys body and soul.  Perhaps this was the reason Christ gave his disciples the authority to forgive Sin.   Some people accuses Catholics of going to confession, some will ask if it is in the BIBLE? This is Christ command and authority because he gave them the power to forgive by breathing on them and empowering them through the Holy Spirit to forgive sins.  It is Spiritual Cleansing. Our body need to be clean so is our Soul made of Spirit, so it is through the Spirit, it can be washed and cleansed. PLEASE MEDITATE ON THIS.

I AM RETURNING TO MY FATHER

JESUS APPEARS TO MARY MAGDALENE John 20:1-18 

 Mary stood crying outside the tomb while she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet. ‘Woman, why are you crying/” they asked her.

She answered, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him.”  Then she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. “Woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who is it that you are looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, “If you took him away sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned towards him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!”  (This means “Teacher”).

“Do not hold on to me,” Jesus said to her, “because I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am returning to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God.”

So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and related to them what the Lord told her.

My God I Love You

THEY HAVE TAKEN THE LORD

THE EMPTY TOMB JOHN 20:1-10

 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance.  She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.”

Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. The two of them were running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and saw the linen wrappings, but he did not go in. Behind him came Simon Peter, and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth which had been round Jesus’ head. It was not lying with the linen wrappings but was rolled up by itself.

 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, he saw and believed. (They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.) Then the disciples went back home.

 

HE WAS BURIED

 THEY BURIAL OF JESUS

JOHN 19:38-42   After this, Joseph, who was from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus body (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but in secret, because he was afraid of the Jewish authorities.) Pilate told him he could have the body, so Joseph went and took it away.  Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night went with Joseph, taking with him about 30 kilogrammes of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes.

 The two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial.  There was a garden in the place where Jesus had been put to death, and in it there was a new tomb where no one had ever been buried. Since it was the day before the Sabbath and because the tomb was close by, they placed Jesus’ body there.

(Matt. 27:37-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-58) 

Two prominent men who were afraid to identify with Jesus; we must commend Peter for his courage, though he denied Christ. We all have denied him in one way of another. No one could speak to defend His innocence and His good deeds to humanity. Till date we are ungrateful to God for sending Christ to redeem us.

 Why did they come after His death? Perhaps they felt guilty for not identifying with Him, for not defending Him. The evil deeds done, and the belief that all has ended. They might as well bury Him, bury His name, His mission buried also with him.

 Evil can never conquer goodness, nor triumph over goodness. The plan of God remains; that is why God lies hidden. No man can ever discern God’s thought or God’s ways.  He directs and controls the affairs of men. God and His Son only knew their for restoration and redemption of humanity.

DIVINE MERCY

THE PIERCED JESUS JOHN 19:31-37 

Then the Jewish authorities asked Pilate to allow them to break the legs of the men who had been crucified, and to take the bodies down from the crosses. They requested this because it was Friday, and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses on the Sabbath, since the coming Sabbath was especially holy.

 

So the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first man and then of the other man who had been crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs. 

One of the soldiers, however, plunged his spear into Jesus’ side, and at once blood and water poured out.  (The one who saw this happen has spoken of it, so that you also may believe. What he said is true, and he knows that he speaks the truth.)

This was done to make the scripture come true: “Not one his bones will be broken.” And there is another scripture that says, “People will look at him whom they pierced.” 

Divine Mercy

IT IS FINISHED

 DEATH OF CHRIST  JOHN 19:28-30

 Jesus knew that by now everything has been completed; and in order to make the scripture come true; he said “I am thirsty”

A bow was there, full of cheap wine; so a sponge was soaked in the wine, put on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted up to his lips. Jesus drank the wine and said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and died.

“I am thirsty” thirsty for love of humanity, thirsty to save humanity, thirsty for souls astray, thirsty for conversion wickedness and evil to goodness, thirsty because his last meal was the last super with his disciples where he ate and drank. That is if the meal was eaten with joy recollecting the bad news of his betrayal by someone closed to him, a disciple chosen by Him. 

"It is finished!” how often has the Lord mentioned that His time has not come.  Now having accomplished His mission he proclaimed that “it is finished”.  How often do we read this passage of our redemption and our eyes are clouded with tears?  “He bowed His Sacred Head and Died”.

 
(Matt. 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49)

THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST

JOHN 19:17-27    So they took charge of Jesus. He went out, carrying his cross, and came to “The Place of the Skull”, as it is called. (In Hebrew it is called “Golgotha”.) There they crucified him; and they also crucified two other men, one on each side, with Jesus between them.

Pilate wrote a notice and had it put on the cross. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” Is what he wrote. Many people read it, because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city. The notice was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.  The chief priests said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, “This man said, I am the King off the Jews.”

 Pilate answered, “What I have written stays written.”

After the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took the robe, which was made of one piece of woven cloth without any seams in it. The soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it; let’s throw dice to see who will get it.  This happened in order to make the scripture come true.

“They divided my clothes among themselves and gambled for my robe.”

And this is exactly what the soldiers did. Standing close to Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 

Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, “He is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, ‘She is your mother.” From that time the disciple took her to live in his home.

The highlighted is for those who said Mary the Mother of Christ our Blessed Mother has other children to ponder upon.

 (The Crucifixion: Matt. 27:3-44, Mark 15:21-32, Luke 22:26-43)

Interestingly Pilate, who was afraid when he was told that Jesus claimed to be a King, handed him over to be crucified because he did not want to offend his friend, the Roman Emperor.  At the death of Christ, he proclaimed him to the whole world as King of the Jews. This was his homage and tribute to Christ.

Do we say he was the first pagan convert before the evangelization of Christ’s apostles and disciples? “What I have written stays written,” He said. If we recall during his discussion with Christ when Christ told him about His Kingship and Kingdom, Pilate was afraid.  He knew that Christ was innocent that it was out of envy and jealousy that the Jewish authorities handed Him over to be sentenced to death.

WHERE DO YOU COME FROM

JOHN 19:1-15  Then Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers made a crown out of thorny branches and put it on his head; then they put a purple robe on him and came to him and said, “Long live the King of the Jews!” And they went up and slapped him.

Pilate went out once more and said to the crowd, “Look, I will bring him out here to you to let you see that I cannot find any reason to condemn him. ”  So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Look! Here is the man!” When the chief priests and the temple guards saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”  Pilate said to them, “You take him, then, and crucify him. I find no reason to condemn him.”

 The crowd answered back, “We have a law that says he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid. He went back into the palace and asked Jesus, “Where do you come from?”  But Jesus did not answer. Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Remember, I have the authority to set you free and also to have you crucified.”

 

Jesus answered, “You have authority over me only because it was given to you by God. So the man who handed me over to you is guilty of worse sin.”  When Pilate heard this, he tried to find a way to set Jesus free. But the crowd shouted back, “If you set him free, that means that you are not the Emperor’s friend! Anyone who claims to be a king is a rebel against the Emperor!”

 When Pilate heard these words, he took Jesus outside and sat down on the judge’s seat in the place called “The Stone Pavement” (in Hebrew the name is “Gabbatha”).  It was then almost noon of the day before the Passover. Pilate said to the people, “Here is your King!” They shouted back, “Kill him, Kill him! Crucify him!”

Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to crucify your King?” The chief priest answered, “The only king we have is the Emperor!” Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.

JESUS BEFORE PILATE AND HIS DEATH SENTENCE

  JOHN 19:28-40   Early in the morning Jesus was taken from Caiaphas’ house to the governor’s palace. The Jewish authorities did not go inside that palace, for they wanted to keep themselves ritually clean, in order to be able to eat the Passover meal. So Pilate went outside to them and asked, “What do you accuse this man of?”

Their answer was, “We would not have brought him to you if he had not committed a crime.” Pilate said to them, “Then you yourselves him away and try him according to your own law.” They replied “We are not allowed to put anyone to death. (This happened in order to make the words of Jesus come true, the words he used when he indicated the kind of death he would die).

 Pilate went back into the palace and called Jesus. “Are you the King of the Jews?” he asked him. Jesus answered, “Does this question come from you or have others told you about me?” Pilate replied, “Do you think I am a Jew? It was your own people and the chief priests who handed you over to me what have you done?”

 Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world; if my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. No, my kingdom does not belong here!”

 So Pilate asked him, “Are you a king, then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and

came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to me.” “And what is the truth?” Pilate asked.

Then Pilate went back outside to the people and said to them, “I cannot fine any reason to condemn him. But according to the custom you have, I always set free a prisoner for you during the Passover. Do you want me to set free for you the King of the Jews?”

 They answered him with a shout, “No, not him! We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a bandit).

PETER DENIES JESUS AGAIN JOHN

 John  19:25-27 Peter was still standing there keeping himself warm. So the other officer said to him,

“Aren’t you also one of the disciples of that man?” But Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said.  One of the High Priest’s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, spoke up. “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” he asked.  Again Peter said “No” – and at once a cock crowed. 

Prayer for Mercy:

Lord, look upon us from heaven where you live in your holiness and glory. Where is your great concern for us? Where is your power? Where are you love and compassion? Do not ignore us. You are our father. Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob do not acknowledge us, but you, Lord are our father, the one who has always rescued us. Why do you let us stray from your ways?

Why do you make us so stubborn that we turn away from you?  Come back, for the sake of those who serve you, for the sake of the people who have always been yours. Isaiah 63:15-17

ANNAS THE HIGH PRIEST QUESTIONS JESUS

The High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered, “I have always spoken publicly to everyone; all my teaching was done in the synagogues and in the Temple, where all the people come together. I have never said anything in secret. Why, then, do you question me? Question the people who heard me. Ask them what I told them – they know what I said.”

When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said “How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!”

Jesus answered him, “If I have said anything wrong, tell everyone here what it was. But if  I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?”

Then Annas sent him, still bound to Caiaphas the High Priest. 

John 18:19-24

 The disciple well known to the High Priest could not use his influence to save Christ; in this view, they are all guilty of betrayal. Nobody could stop what was destined as predicted by Ciaiphas. Peter was the only one that made effort to save His Master, he was the one that spoke about making altars at the transfiguration, he was the only that tried to dissuade Jesus from embarking on the mission of His crucifixion out of ignorance of what was pre-destined, he was the one who openly confessed Christ identity. Peter tried. It was as if he was alone trying to defend His Master out of love; but John was the beloved disciple probably because of his closeness as His cousin gave him the privilege to be the beloved apostle. (Matt. 26:71-75, Mark 14:69-2, Luke 22:58-62)

 

PETER’S FIRST DENIAL

 18:15-18   Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was well known to the High Priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the High Priest’s house, while Peter stayed outside by the gate. ‘Then the other disciple went back out, spoke to the girl at the gate, and brought Peter inside. The girl at the gate said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of the disciples of that man.”  “No, I am not,” Answered Peter.

It was cold, so the servants and guards had built a charcoal fire and were standing round it, warming themselves. So Peter went over and stood with them, warming himself.

Heavenly Father, transform my life by your Holy Spirit.  I know if I am in Peter's place I will deny you. How often have I denied you because I am afraid of being called names, I am afraid of loosing friends, I am afraid of being alone, I am afraid of loosing my comforts, I am afraid so many things that threaten my existence. My lack of faith and my fears give way to my denying knowing you Lord Jesus Christ my Master. Give me the courage to be faithful to you Lord.

I WILL DRINK THE CUP OF SUFFERING DESTINED BY MY FATHER

THE ARREST OF JESUS  JOHN 18:1-14 

After Jesus had said this prayer, he left with his disciples and went across the brook called Kidron. There was a garden in that place, and Jesus  his disciple went in. Judas, the traitor, knew where it was, because many times Jesus had met there with his disciples. So Judas went to the garden, taking with him a group of Roman soldiers, and some temple guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees; they were armed and carried lanterns and torches.  Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward and asked them. “Who is it you are looking for?”

 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” he said.

Judas, the traitor, was standing there with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground. Again Jesus asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?” “Jesus of Nazareth they said.”  “I have already told you that I am he,” Jesus said “If, then, you are looking for me, let these others go.” (He said this so that what he had said might come true: “Father, I have not lost even one of those you gave me.”)

Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it struck the High Priest’s slave cutting off his right ear. The name of the slave was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place! Do you think that I will not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me?’

Then the Roman soldiers with their commanding officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus, bound him, and took him first to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish authorities that it was better that one man should die for all the people.

As I re-type the Gospel of John on Christ arrest, it came to my mind that Peter must have denied Christ because in the garden he tried to save his Master, but he was discouraged by Christ. In His Master’s presence he was not afraid, but being alone, and no one to save him, he denied knowing Christ having followed Him all the way.

Christ saw everything. He knew everything. He saw Peter’s heart and intention. Peter demonstrated his word that he would lay down his life for His Master when he tried preventing them from arresting Jesus. Yet His Master would not permit him to use his sword to fight the soldiers. Jesus with Annas, and Peter all alone. He was afraid being alone and Christ wasn't near to save him, like when he walked on the water at his request for the Lord to command him to come to him.  At the garden the Lord commanded him to put back his sword in its place.  Now all alone he lost courage.  (The Arrest of Christ: Matt. 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-50, Luke 22:47-53). Lord teach me, help me see more clearly the great hope to which you call me. Give me the grace and courage in my desire to follow you.

 

JESUS CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST PRIESTLY PRAYER

Jesus Prayer for His Disciples John 17:1-26   After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you. For you gave him authority over all humanity so that he might give eternal life to all those you  “I have made you known to   those you gave me out of the world. They belong to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word, and now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. I gave them the message that you gave me, and they received it; they know that it is true that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me.gave him. And eternal life means knowing you,  the only true God, and knowing Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made.

 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those you gave me, for they belong to you.  All I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and my glory is shown through them.  And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that may be one just as you and I are one.  While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost – so that the scripture might come true. And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they might have my joy in their hearts in all its fullness. I gave them your message, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.  I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil one.  Just as I do not belong to the world, they do not belong to the world. Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth. I sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. And for their sake I dedicate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly dedicated to you. 

VICTORY OVER THE WORLD

16:25-33    “I have used figures of speech to tell you these things. But the time will come when I will not use figures of speech, but will speak to you plainly about the Father.  When that day comes, you will ask him in my name, and I do not say that I will ask him on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you.  He loves you because you love me and have believed that I came from God. I did come from the Father, and I came into the world; and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

Then his disciples said to him, “Now you are speaking plainly, without using figures of speech. We know now that you know everything; you do not need someone to ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? The time is coming, and is already here, when all of you will be scattered, each of you to your own home, and I will be left all alone. But I am not really alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world.”

Holy Spirit, give me eyes of faith so that I can see people the way the Jesus sees them. Give me the knowledge and courage to lift others to their full potentials. Help see the beauty in every creatures, help see their potentials what they can become by your power and grace,  For through the power of the Holy Spirit Lord Jesus Christ, I will have victory over every challenges.  Psalm 19