‘The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one.’
As the Easter season comes to an end, our readings remind us of the joy and hope that come from the love that the Father has lavished on the world.
In the First Reading we witness the suffering and death of Stephen, the first Christian Martyr. As Stephen offers up his spirit, echoing Jesus’s own words, he pleads for forgiveness for his persecutors.
The Psalm proclaims the Lord as king, worshipped by all of creation. God is the source of justice and right.
John’s vision from the end of the Book of Revelation (Second Reading) reminds us of the invitation that Jesus gives to us all – and the promise of salvation when he comes again.
In the Gospel we hear Jesus’s own prayer to his heavenly Father. It is offered both for the disciples who are with him at the Last Supper, and for all people like us, who have heard and believe the message of love.
As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year, we pray for all those who struggle to forgive others. We ask Jesus to enter into their hearts, bringing his mercy and compassion.
