Gospel – John 17:1-11A
Jesus 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 your son 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.”
Reflection on Sunday Gospel
Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God…
It’s graduation season. The young women and men that have come into our lives as students now move on to the next phase in their lives. We hope and pray that we’ve taught them all we could from the text books and chalkboards, prayers and service experiences, what it means to not only be strong in mind, but strong in heart.
De La Salle’s teachings remind us as Lasallian educators that we should be the best embodiment we can be of Jesus. For some of our students, we may have been their only experience of the Word they have, or will ever have. In the words of the late Maya Angleou, “…people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” By no means are any of us perfect, but if you did the best you could to be the older brother or sister “to guide those entrusted to your care on the path to salvation,” then you indeed glorified Him on earth, accomplishing the work He gave you to do.
In the words of De La Salle, “touching the hearts of our students” is not some metaphor, but a part of our call as educators to deeply know and love our students, and have them know that deep love so as they may see Him through us.
“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.”
For many, this God given Lasallian mission has provided a “human and Christian education” to those who might not otherwise have had the opportunity. More importantly, you were the instrument of His reign, that has made His love real and known. Take heart in the fact that as your students cross that stage, their lives are better for having known you, and coming to know God through you. Now they go out to “make disciples of all nations,” or again, in the words of Maya Angelou, “when you learn, teach, when you get, give.”
St. John Baptist de La Salle … Pray for Us!
Live Jesus in our Hearts … Forever!
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