Scripture Reference: John 17:20-26 (Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter)

“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” (John 17:20-21a)

Have you ever felt like a forgotten note in a symphony — present, but not really essential? Or perhaps you’ve wondered: Does Jesus ever pray specifically for me? Not just for the apostles, not just for the Church in general — but for me, here, today?

Today’s Gospel is the breathtaking answer.

Jesus is still praying His High Priestly Prayer. He has prayed for Peter, for the Eleven, for those standing nearby. But then He opens His arms wider — much wider — and speaks across two thousand years directly to you:

“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word.”

That is you. Every Catholic who has believed because the apostles’ word was handed down through Scripture and Tradition. Jesus saw your face in that moment.

The Heart of the Prayer: Unity That Reflects the Trinity

What does He ask for you? Not wealth, not comfort, not even a long life. He asks for unity — and not just any unity:

“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us.” (John 17:21)

This is staggering. Jesus prays that your relationships — with your family, your parish, even with difficult people — would mirror the very life of the Trinity. The Father and Son are perfectly distinct yet perfectly one, giving and receiving love without end.

You were made for that kind of communion. Not shallow agreement. Not forced politeness. But a unity so deep that the world looks at Christians and whispers: “They must share one heart.”

The Glory You Cannot See Yet

Then comes a mysterious promise:

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.” (John 17:22)

Glory? Right now? In the middle of your exhaustion, your hidden struggles, your unanswered prayers? Yes. The glory Jesus speaks of is not a dazzling light show. It is the indwelling presence of God — the Holy Spirit poured into your heart at baptism, confirmation, and every Eucharist.

That glory is invisible to the eyes but realer than anything you can touch. And its purpose is unity. When you forgive someone who hurt you, that is glory. When you choose silence instead of gossip, that is glory. When you stay faithful to prayer even when you feel nothing, that is glory.

The Final Goal: To See His Glory Face to Face

Jesus concludes:

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)

He desires it. Not a passive wish. A burning, divine desire. He wants you with Him. He wants you to see what He sees. He wants you to know the love that existed before time began.

That is your destiny. Not merely “going to heaven” as a vague concept, but entering into the eternal embrace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and finding yourself fully known, fully loved, and fully at home.

What This Means for Your Thursday

Today, you will face small fractures: a tense conversation, a moment of impatience, a feeling of loneliness. In those cracks, remember: Jesus is praying for your unity. He is not asking the Father to fix everything overnight. He is asking that you, even in the mess, remain in Him — because staying connected to the Vine is how unity grows.

You are not an afterthought. You were in His prayer.

A Short Prayer

Lord Jesus, You prayed for me before I ever knew Your name. Thank You. Unite me to the Father and to every believer, especially those I struggle to love. Let Your glory — hidden now — become my strength. And when I grow weary, remind me: You desire me to be with You forever. Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.