‘Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you’
Seventh Sunday of Easter Year A
In this reading Jesus asks his Father to let him give eternal life to all those entrusted to him. He prays not for the world but for those who believe. Fr Adrian Graffy reflects.
John 17:1-11
1 Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: ‘Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you; 2 and,through the power over all mankind that you have given him, let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him. 3 And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4 I have glorified you on earth and finished the work that you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, it is time for you to glorify me with that glory I had with you before ever the world was. 6 I have made your name known to the men you took from the worldto give me. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now at last they know that all you have given me comes indeed from you; 8 for I have given them the teaching you gave to me, and they have truly accepted this, that I camefrom you, and have believed that it was you who sent me.
9 I pray for them; I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they belong to you: 10 all I have is yours and all you have is mine, and in them I am glorified. 11 I am not in the world any longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.’
Other readings: Acts 1:12-14 Psalm 26 (27) 1 Peter 4:13-16
Reflection
These are the opening words of the prayer that the evangelist attributes to Jesus at the Last Supper, on the night before he died. Jesus speaks of the hour, towards which his whole life has been directed. Jesus prays that the Father will glorify him. This will happen through his death and resurrection, and the subsequent raising of Christ, with his risen humanity, to the presence of God. Through this Easter mystery eternal life is bestowed on those who believe.
The work of Jesus is now complete, and heprays for those who through his preaching have come to know the Father’s name. He distinguishes them from the world which does not know or accept him. These true disciples have realized that Jesus comes from the Father and that his teaching is true and reliable.
Jesus stresses that his prayer is for those who believe and not for the world. While Jesus is soon to leave this world, his faithful followers will remain to continue his work.They will be supported by the prayer of Christ to the Father.
What does Jesus mean when he says he is glorified?
How best can we hold firm to the teaching Jesus has given us?
Pray that the Church will be always aware of the prayer of Christ on our behalf.
Pray for strongfaith which trusts that where Jesus has gone we too will follow.
Rev Dr Adrian Graffy is a member of the Vatican Commission that takes a lead in Bible scholarship, interpretation and promotion in the Catholic Church.
Rev Dr Graffy said of his five-year appointment by Pope Francis in 2014: “It is an honour to be nominated by Pope Francis as a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. I feel humbled and very much look forward to being of service to His Holiness and the Church.”
He added: “A great deal has been achieved in England and Wales in recent years by many co-workers to advance Biblical scholarship and the provision of easy-to-use resources. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them and the Bishops’ Conference Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis for their efforts to promote understanding and love of the Bible, particularly through the publication of the teaching documents, The Gift of Scripture and the study guide to Verbum Domini, The Word of the Lord.”
Rev Dr Graffy received his doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in 1983. He taught for over 20 years in St John’s Seminary in Wonersh, and is Chair of the National Scripture Working Group, which is an instrument of the Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Fr Graffy is a past director of Brentwood’s Commission for Evangelisation and Formation and parish priest of Christ the Eternal High Priest in Gidea Park, Essex. Among his publications are the Gospel of Mark and the Letter to the Romans (Alive Publishing).
Listen to BBC Essex interview with Fr Adrian Graffy
Rev Dr Adrian Graffy is a member of the Vatican Commission that takes a lead in Bible scholarship, interpretation and promotion in the Catholic Church.