“While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” – John 17:12-19
Sanctify: to free from sin: purify; to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability
As I sit here this morning meditating over these parting words of Jesus, over all others, one word stands out. Sanctify.
“Sanctify them in the truth” – this is a statement asking the Father, through the Spirit to give us the power to say ‘no’. No to the snares and temptations of the world, of the evil one.
Of course, THE Truth is Jesus Christ. He reinforces this fact earlier in John’s Gospel – ““I am the way and the truth and the life” – John 14:6
For you to be consecrated means you are set apart for a specific mission. You will be mixing with the world. Therefore, you need to be specially set apart to withstand the world’s influence and to become a light in the midst of darkness.
Jesus is the word made flesh, and he consecrated himself for you. He said no to plenty of things and made himself totally available to carry out the Father’s will. Jesus consecrated himself.
He is the word made flesh.
Jesus prayed to the Father that you and I would be consecrated, but how does he do it? How does God consecrate us and prepare us for what he has called us to?
He uses his word. He uses his word to consecrate us.
We become different when we listen to his word and do it.
We become different when we feed on the word made flesh, the Eucharist.
We become different when we spend much time adoring the word incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We become different when we spend quality time in prayer, in adoration, and sitting before the one we are imitating.
Don’t put your hope in this world or its people and things. Keep your hope firmly planted in Jesus, the one who becomes our constant companion on this pilgrimage through life. It is Jesus and only Jesus who puts all that is happening in your life into focus.
So here we go.
Let’s begin afresh today.
Grab a Bible, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, spend quiet time in adoration before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, receive His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist – the Bread of Life.
These are your ongoing reconsecration steps.