6/3/2025 (Tuesday) Today’s Gospel reading: John 17:1-11A
1 These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said: Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2 As you have given him power over all flesh, that he may give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 Now this is eternal life: That they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have glorified you on the earth; I have finished the work which you gave me to do.
5 And now glorify me, O Father, with yourself, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with you.
6 I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. Yours they were, and to me you gave them; and they have kept your word.
7 Now they have known, that all things which you have given me, are from you.
8 Because the words which you gave me, I have given to them; and they have received them, and have known in very deed that I came out from you, and they have believed that you did send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them whom you have given me: because they are yours.
10 And all my things are yours, and yours are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11A And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.
6/3/2025 (Tuesday) Today’s Gospel reflection / sermon / homily: John 17:1-11A
In the quiet upper room, just before the cross, Jesus lifted His eyes and prayed—not only for strength, but to glorify God. That moment reveals a powerful truth: the highest purpose in life is to live in a way that glorifies the One who gave us life. And how do we do that? By living with unity and purpose.
At the heart of Jesus’ prayer is this desire to reflect God’s presence in everything. He speaks of having completed the work He was given and of revealing God’s nature to those around Him. This is a blueprint for us. We are not just here to survive life’s chaos or to chase temporary success; we are here to make God known through our lives. When we understand that, everything changes especially our decisions, our relationships, even our struggles.
One powerful way we glorify God is through unity. Jesus prayed for those who had followed Him, asking that they be protected and united. Not uniform, but united. Unity does not mean we all think the same or live the same. It means we are rooted in the same purpose: to reflect God’s love, truth, and grace to the world. In a society divided by politics, race, class, and ideology, unity among people of faith is not just a moral nicety but a divine calling. When people see diverse individuals genuinely loving one another, supporting each other, and working together in peace, they catch a glimpse of God’s glory.
Think of a symphony orchestra. Each musician plays a different instrument, and none sounds like the other. Yet, when they follow the same conductor and read from the same sheet of music, the result is harmony. Our lives, too, become beautiful when we follow the same Spirit and move in rhythm with God’s purposes.
But unity alone is not enough. Jesus also speaks of having accomplished the work He was given. This shows that glorifying God is also about living with purpose. Each of us is uniquely gifted and positioned to do something meaningful. That doesn’t mean everyone is called to be a preacher, missionary, or leader. It means whatever role we have such as parent, teacher, engineer, artist, neighbor, we live it out in a way that points others to God’s goodness. A teacher who builds up young minds with patience and love, a businessperson who leads with integrity and fairness, a student who chooses honesty in a world of shortcuts, all are doing the work they were given. And that glorifies God.
Living for God’s glory is also about how we endure hardship. Jesus knew the cross was near. Yet His focus wasn’t on escape. It was on obedience. He trusted the outcome to the Father. In our own trials, we often pray for a way out. But what if our trials are the very platform where God’s glory can shine most brightly through us? When we respond to pain with grace, to offense with forgiveness, to fear with faith, the world sees something it cannot explain. And in that, God is glorified.
In short, Jesus’ prayer shows us a life lived not for self, but for something greater. To glorify God is to live in such a way that others are drawn to Him through our unity, through our obedience, through our purpose, and even through our suffering.
As we move through each day, we have the opportunity to reflect that same prayer in our own hearts. “Let my life glorify You.” Whether it’s in quiet acts of love, bold steps of faith, or faithful endurance, our lives can echo Jesus’ ultimate purpose. And in doing so, we too will have accomplished the work we were given.
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