Reflection for May 20 Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter: John 17:11b-19

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.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

The story is told of a husband and wife who deeply desired to remain faithful to the Church’s teaching that marriage is for life. As they reflected on how they could preserve and strengthen their relationship through the years, they realized that prayer would be the foundation that could keep them united until their last breath.

From that moment on, they made prayer an essential part of their married life. Through joys and trials, victories and struggles, they continued to pray together, and by God’s grace, they remained faithful and united until the end.

In today’s Gospel, as Jesus was about to face suffering and arrest, He lovingly prayed to the Father for His disciples. He prayed that they might remain one in mission, heart, and spirit, because He knew that without unity, they would not succeed in fulfilling the work entrusted to them. This prayer of Jesus is not only for His disciples long ago; it is also for us today—for our families, our marriages, and our relationships.

Indeed, every family needs unity in order to survive and flourish. When we allow God to dwell at the center of our homes, beautiful fruits begin to grow within us: humility instead of pride, honesty instead of deception, forgiveness instead of resentment, patience instead of anger, and love instead of selfishness. These virtues strengthen the bond that keeps our families together even during life’s storms.

A family that grows spiritually is a family that prays together. Prayer is not merely a routine or obligation; it is our lifeline to God. It heals wounded hearts, softens hardened spirits, restores broken relationships, and reminds us that we are never alone in our struggles. When we pray together, we invite the Lord to become the center of our homes, our decisions, our dreams, and our future.

Let us, therefore, never underestimate the transforming power of prayer within our families and marriages. The world may offer many temporary solutions to brokenness and division, but only God can truly unite hearts in lasting love and peace. A family that prays together remains strong together because Christ Himself dwells in their midst.

Is prayer truly alive in our homes, our marriages, and our daily lives? Or have we allowed busyness, distractions, and worldly concerns to slowly take God away from the center of our family life? If Jesus were to enter our homes today, would He find us united in prayer, love, forgiveness, and faith?— Marino J. Dasmarinas