All Is Yours
Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 17:1-11 Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“…everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The Gospel of John gives us so many great insights into the inner Life of the Blessed Trinity. The readings from this section of John’s Gospel that we read during this part of the Easter Season are not always easy to understand, but they are very important in helping us to understand Jesus Himself. Jesus says here, in prayer to His Father, “everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine.” That is beautiful! Do we know any married couple who can honestly say that they are so united (so united!) that there is a complete unity of life? The Father gives everything to the Son. And the Son gives everything to the Father.
One of the gifts that the Father and the Son possess that they present to each other in the Gospels is us–believers. Jesus prays here for believers and for future believers (for us!). He knows us each of us individually and wants each of us to be united with God, in Himself. If we are united to Christ, then as He gives Himself to the Father, so also He gives us to the Father. It is through our union with Jesus that we are united with God. This might give insight into why Jesus says, “this is eternal life, that they should know you...and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” In knowing Jesus Christ, we begin eternal life here. In knowing Jesus Christ, we begin eternal life now. Ultimately, heaven is union with God.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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