That They May Be One

“That They May Be One”

Reflection on John 17:1-11a

In John 17:1-11a, we are invited into one of the most intimate and profound moments in the Gospels: the prayer of Jesus to the Father before His Passion. This passage is often called the “High Priestly Prayer” because Jesus, in a deeply priestly act, lifts His eyes to heaven and intercedes for His disciples and all believers.

Jesus begins by acknowledging that His "hour has come." This “hour” is the culmination of His mission—the Cross—where He will glorify the Father through perfect obedience and sacrificial love. In this moment, He is not thinking of His suffering alone but of the fruit it will bear: eternal life for those who believe in Him.

He defines eternal life as knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. This “knowing” is not just intellectual assent but a deep, personal relationship—a communion of love. It is this communion that Jesus has revealed to the world, and now, before His death, He entrusts His followers to the Father.

Jesus prays for those the Father has given Him. He acknowledges that His disciples have accepted the Word, believed in His mission, and now belong to God. He is not asking the Father to take them out of the world but to protect them and preserve their unity. “Holy Father, keep them in your name… so that they may be one as we are one.”

This is the heart of Jesus' prayer: unity. A unity rooted not in uniformity but in love—a unity that mirrors the relationship between the Father and the Son. In a world that often divides and isolates, Jesus' prayer is a call to deeper communion with God and with one another. It challenges us to look beyond ourselves and to live in such a way that our unity becomes a sign of God’s presence in the world.

Key Takeaway:
Jesus' deepest desire before His Passion was that His followers remain united in love and truth, just as He is one with the Father. Our call as Catholics is to reflect this divine unity in our relationships, our communities, and our witness to the world.