Wednesday 4th June – Wednesday of the 7th week of Easter

Reflection: John 17:11-19

THE WORLD

Dear friend, four days from now, we shall be celebrating the great feast of Pentecost. But then, God is incubating us in this period before the feast fully comes. Just as the disciples where in the Upper Room for ten days under “high-temperature-divine-incubator”, the Church in her wisdom also has deemed it fit for us to be in the same state. Beloved, the reason for this incubation is so as to avoid contamination from the “world”. You may wonder what is meant here. Well, whenever the word “world” is used in the New Testament, it is used connotatively to mean unhealthy earthly attractions and the evil that men do, which is the chief devise of satan.

Jesus prays to the Father today, asking Him to keep the disciples safe from this worldly contamination and the evil one- the devil. There are provisions that God has made for us to be safe from the world’s contamination. One of them as we see in today’s text is the “Name of Jesus” John 17:11. Remember that scripture says in Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” When you understand that the name- “Jesus” is a potent weapon against the world, then you can take your rest and not be fearful. Even when others are running helter-skelter for worldly things, you know that Jesus Christ is your All-in-All. When you have Jesus, you have all things, and indeed you have overcome the world because He too has overcome the world. (John16:33).

Therefore, remain under the perpetual incubation of The Almighty, and you will be safe from the ‘youthful’ desires and passions that have led many astray.

PRAYER: Dear Father, purge and keep me safe from every form of worldly infiltrations and contamination by the power of the holy name of Your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 2516: “Because man is a composite being, spirit and body, there already exists a certain tension in him; a certain struggle of tendencies between “spirit” and “flesh” develops. But in fact this struggle belongs to the heritage of sin… It is part of the daily experience of the spiritual battle.”

HIDE A TREASURE: “…Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 RSV-CE

Readings for today: Acts 20: 28-38; Psalm 69: 29-30, 33-36; John 17:11-19