May 18, 2021, 7th week of Easter

John 17:1-11. 
Tuesday Mass Readings 

Let us take courage that like St. Paul and all the disciples; Jesus has placed us in his Father’s hands. How important it is to realize that blessing when trials come our way. 

At the Last Supper Jesus told his disciples,  
“Remember the word that I said to you,  
‘A slave is not greater than his master.’  
If they persecuted me,  
they will also persecute you.” (John 15:18) 

Knowing this, in today’s gospel,  
Jesus says to his heavenly Father, “I pray for them.” 

He did not pray that they would be affluent or successful in business. 
 

He did not pray that they would have masters  
and bachelor’s degrees. 

While all of those are good things in themselves,  
Jesus prayed that they would be faithful to him,  
even when he knew that he would die alone without them. 

Though this happened,  
Jesus knew that when they received the Holy Spirit,  
everything would change. 
 

St. Paul told the presbyters at the Church of Ephesus, “I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews… I am going to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit and not knowing what will happen to me there I do not know except that the Holy Spirit has been warning me … that chains and hardships await me.” 

We know that Paul was facing martyrdom in Rome. 

Both Jesus and St. Paul chose to do the will of God  
to be faithful to Him even though they knew  
what was going to happen to them. 
 

Let us take courage  
that like St. Paul and all the disciples;  
Jesus has placed us in his Father’s hands. 

How important it is to realize that blessing  
when trials come our way. 

However successful or unsuccessful  
the world may view us,  
may we finish the course and ministry  
that we received from the Lord Jesus –  
to love God and our neighbor  
before we love ourselves in all we do  
and think and say. 

It may cost us a little or it may cost us a lot. 

Through it all, may we grow in that grace and freedom of St. Paul, “I consider life of no importance to me if only I finish my course in the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace.”