Reflection for May 21 Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter: John 17:20-26

Gospel: John 17:20-26

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 

And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.  

Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 

Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”

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Reflection:

What would happen if the love of Jesus is present in our family? There would be unity and an unbreakable bond that remains strong no matter what happens within our family. When Christ’s love dwells among us, even in our differences and struggles, we are held together by a grace that the world cannot easily break.

On the other hand, what would happen if the love of God is absent from our family? There would be disunity, human-made problems, and dysfunction that could eventually lead to the disintegration of our relationships. Without God’s love at the center, even small misunderstandings can grow into deep divisions that weaken our unity.

Jesus’ love for God and God’s love for Jesus reveal to us the kind of love that can truly bind and unite the members of our family. It is a love that is humble, faithful, and persevering. Jesus humbled Himself, though He is one with God, and He remained steadfast in fulfilling His mission of salvation—even to the point of the cross. This is the love we are invited to imitate in our own homes.

If we, as spouses, parents, and children, desire a family that endures in love, we are called to live out this same humility and perseverance. Our children need to be gently guided into an active prayer life, nurtured by us and strengthened through our wisdom-filled shepherding and loving example. In doing so, we help our families stand firm against anything that seeks to divide or weaken our bonds.

Let us pause and reflect: do we truly allow the love of Jesus and the love of God to dwell in our hearts and in our homes? Do we, in our daily struggles and choices, choose humility over pride and perseverance over giving up for the sake of our family’s unity and peace?

Are we willing to become instruments of Christ’s love so that our family may become a living witness of unity, faith, and enduring grace in a world that desperately needs it?—Marino J. Dasmarinas