With them in you and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me,
says the Lord. JN 17:21
ACTS 22:30,23:6-11
My Soul's Beloved,
The whole purpose of the life of a Christian is to bear witness to the Truth. You, O Lord, are Truth, and You have consecrated all who belong to You to the Truth. Truth is unchanging; it is eternal. Truth is the firm foundation on which we build our lives, live it with confidence and hope that Truth will lead us safely to the Kingdom of God, the final destination of the children of God.
To stand for Truth in a world that blurs the lines between Truth and lies is to invite the enmity of those in the world. The devil is a liar and a deceiver, and those who belong to it know how to package division and destruction to seem attractive and desirable. Truth demands that we admit that we are merely creatures and that we are saved by grace alone. Without You, we are nothing. If we are not led by Your Holy Spirit and we do not yield to His promptings, guidance, and direction, we will be lost forever.
St. Paul's life shows us that the way of true discipleship is to have faith in the One who called us out of darkness into Your own marvelous light. Life as a disciple will not be easy, but it will be joyful. We might face all kinds of persecution and hardship simply for being Christia,n but if we peservere to the end, Beloved, You will come to us, and take us by the hand, and lead us to the Kingdom they to live in Your glorious Presence and worship You with the angels and the saints.
Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’
PSALM 15(16):1-2,5,7-11
Preserve me, Lord, I take refuge in you.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.’
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness forever.
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Holy Father,
I pray not only for these,
but for those also
who through their words will believe in me.
May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in us,
as you are in me and I am in you,
so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.
I have given them the glory you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me
and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me
to be with me where I am,
so that they may always see the glory you have given me
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Father, Righteous One,
the world has not known you,
but I have known you,
and these have known that you have sent me.
I have made your name known to them
and will continue to make it known,
so that the love with which you loved me may be in them,
and so that I may be in them.’
Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’
PSALM 15(16):1-2,5,7-11
Preserve me, Lord, I take refuge in you.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.’
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness forever.
Preserve me, Lord, I take refuge in you.
JOHN 17:20-26
My Soul's Beloved,
JOHN 17:20-26
My Soul's Beloved,
My Lord and my God, thank You for loving me, unworthy though I am. Thank You, Lord, for caring for me with a tenderness that is beyond my comprehension. Thank You for praying for me to the Father that all of us who belong to You may be one with the Father through You. Thank You for desiring that I remain yours eternally, and to that end, You lay down Your life for me. You entered into my death so I could enter into Your life and receive a share in Your resurrection.
Thank You, for the Church You founded on Peter and the Apostles and for the great privilege accorded to me to belong to this Church. Grant me all the grace I need to remain faithful to Holy Mother Church, to be obedient to all her doctrine, and to witness to the joy of being a member of Your Body.
Thank You, Bridegroom of my soul, that I am Yours and you are Mine in time and in eternity. I love You.
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Holy Father,
I pray not only for these,
but for those also
who through their words will believe in me.
May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in us,
as you are in me and I am in you,
so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.
I have given them the glory you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me
and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me
to be with me where I am,
so that they may always see the glory you have given me
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Father, Righteous One,
the world has not known you,
but I have known you,
and these have known that you have sent me.
I have made your name known to them
and will continue to make it known,
so that the love with which you loved me may be in them,
and so that I may be in them.’
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