Gospel Reflection for JUNE 4: Consecration and Holiness

Gospel, John 17:11-19

In the Upper Room, on the eve of his Passion, Jesus prayed for his disciples. At the same time he looked ahead to the community of disciples of all centuries. In his prayer for the disciples of all time, he saw us too, and he prayed for us. Let us listen to what he asks for the Twelve and for us,

“Consecrate them in truth…. Make them holy. AS you sent me into the world, SO I send them into the world.”

To consecrate myself means to give myself to God as his property, so that I no longer belong to myself but to God. Consecration means giving myself over to the living God so that I am immersed in God.

The Lord prays that God himself draw us towards him, into his holiness. He prays that God take us away from ourselves to make us his own property. I can actually be transformed into God’s own being. This is so wonderful that it is almost unbelievable. We simply allow God to do this act of sanctification, this consecration.

Yet, there are steps I can take to allow God to work within me.

Ponder:

Am I saturated with the word of God? Does the word form my thinking and my prayer? Do I allow the word of God to cut through my pretense of self-rightousness and purify me? Is the Word made flesh, the Truth, one with me?

Prayer:

God draw me into the life of Christ because I realize that only consecrated people, protected from the Evil One, can go into the world and shake its very foundations with Truth