7th Sunday of Easter

This text seems out of place for this time of year. It is Jesus' high priestly prayer that he prayed during Holy Week.

But this text is appropriate for this time of year, because we are nearing the Ascension.
Jesus is praying for the disciples in the context of the church year as He knows that He will not be with the disciples much longer. So in the context of the Ascension this text is very much appropriate for us to look at now.

Jesus tells the Father at this point that He is not praying for all the people of the world, but only for the disciples. That seems strange, but if you think about it is not. As Jesus leaves the disciples, as He knows that His time on earth is drawing to the close, He prays for the disciples, so they will stay together and wait for the Pentecost event.

An old story speaks about the "plan" Jesus has for the disciples and the church.

There is the old story that tells how Jesus sent back to heaven after his time on earth. Even going to heaven He bore the marks of the cross. As the angels talked with him, Gabriel, always inquisitive, said to Jesus: "Master, you must have suffered terribly for those people down there."

" I did," Jesus said.

"And", said Gabriel, "do they all know about how you loved them and what you did for them?"

"Oh no," said Jesus, "not yet." Just a few in Palestine know."

"What have you done," said Gabriel, "to let everyone know about it?"

Jesus said, "I have asked Peter, James, and John and a few others to make it their business to tell others about me, and the others to tell others and others and others and others, until the farthest people on the widest circle know what I have done." Gabriel was less than convinced that this would work.

He said to Jesus: "What if Peter, James, and John and the others get tired and forget and fail? What would happen if way down the years - say 2000 - and people just don't tell others about you? Are there no other plans? ...No back-up strategy?"

Jesus replied: "I haven't made other plans. I'm counting on them!" (1)

Jesus prays for the disciples and in a sense He is praying for us, the church, to stay together and spread the word about the love of Christ for everyone.

We celebrate the Ascension and then wait for the Pentecost event when the Holy Spirit fills the disciples and gives them the power to spread the Good News of the Gospel. As we celebrate the Pentecost event we relive the our Baptism as the Holy Spirit came to us through the water and word and fills us with the power to spread the good news of the gospel.


(1) Harry Denman, Worship that Works, Selected Sermons, Day of Ascension, Year C.