Acts 1: 6–14 / Psalm 68: 1–10, 32–35 / I Peter 4: 12–14; 5: 6–11 / John 17: 1–11
This is the written version of the
homily given at Flohr’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) in McKnightstown,
Pennsylvania on Sunday, May 17, 2026, by Fr. Gene Tucker, Interim Pastor.
“INVITED AND DRAWN INTO THE INNER LIFE OF GOD”
(Homily text: John 17: 1-11)
Life
has the ability to offer many blessings. One of the most wonderful things that
can bless and support us in our earthly journey is a close and deeply personal
relationship with someone. That “someone” might be our marriage partner. Or
that “someone” could be a close friend, or perhaps a parent or a grandparent,
or perhaps a schoolmate.
Such
persons are ones we can share our innermost thoughts, concerns, struggles and
desires with. We are able, with such persons, to share anything and everything,
all in confidence.
It is
just this sort of a relationship that our Lord Jesus Christ describes in this
morning’s Gospel reading, which is a portion of what has come to be known as
the Lord’s “High Priestly Prayer”. This prayer occupies all of chapter
seventeen of John’s Gospel account. We hear just the beginning portion of it
this morning.
The
prayer concludes John’s extensive account of what happened as Jesus and His
disciples celebrated and observed the feast of Passover. In John’s account,
chapters thirteen through seventeen tell us about the events that took place on
that night before our Lord suffered and died on Good Friday.
John’s
unique writing style is evident as the prayer unfolds. In verses one through
eleven, Jesus prays for Himself, and for the original band of disciples, as He
is about to leave them. Then, in verses twelve through nineteen, John advances
the narrative, as Jesus prays for that original band of disciples who will soon
become Apostles, as they are sent out into the world carrying the Good News of
God, made known in the sending of Jesus Christ. Finally, verses twenty through
the end of the chapter, at verse twenty-six, Jesus prays for those who will
come to faith through the work of the Apostles. (Yes, that includes you and
me!)
John’s
writing style has been compared to a series of loops, by which an idea is
introduced. Then the idea is advanced a little at a time as the narrative
unfolds.
Now
then, let’s return to the theme with which we began: The blessing that is ours
by virtue of a close and deeply personal relationship with someone.
That
“someone”, in the case of the Lord’s High Priestly Prayer, is the Lord Himself.
In Jesus’ prayer, we are invited into a close, personal, and a deep love
relationship with the fulness of God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
For,
you see, Jesus Christ’s coming sheds light on the nature of the Father. His
coming also sheds light on the nature of the Spirit.
And we
are invited into the inner life of God, into the fulness of God’s identity as
the Three-in-One, the Holy Trinity. We are invited into a place where we can
share our innermost longings, desires, concerns, challenges, shortcomings and
disappointments. At the same time, God, as our trusted companion in the walk of
faith, is also that One we can share our celebrations and the high points of
our lives with.
What a
blessed state, to find ourselves drawn into the inner life of the God of all,
that One who – in the final analysis – will be the One whose will and whose
love will endure, and will conquer all things.
AMEN.
