Today’s Gospel is a loving and tender passage. Jesus is praying for all the people (including us) whom God has entrusted to His care. Jesus realizes that His time on earth is short. He is concerned about the people whom He soon will be leaving. Jesus prays and asks His Father to keep them “in his name.” Jesus longs for his “flock” to be protected and safe when He is no longer with them. What a caring and loving shepherd we have!

Clearly Jesus dearly loved His disciples. He longed for them to share His joy fully and completely. Jesus knew that He would be leaving them and He longed for them to be safe and secure in God’s love and care for them. Jesus also longed for His disciples to share the depth of joy He experienced in being one with God.

Take a moment and remember a time when you experienced a sense of closeness or oneness with God or Jesus. Do you remember the time or place? What were the emotions you experienced? Joy? Peace? Love? Awe?

Jesus longs to share His peace, His joy and His truth with us today. Are we open to receiving these gifts? If so,  let us  sit quietly in Jesus’ presence with an open mind, heart and hands. . . .and wait! Jesus will come!  Be patient!