The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 104: The Priestly Prayer of Jesus (2024)

Episode Date: April 13, 2024

Fr. Mike reflects on the prayer of Jesus before his sacrifice, where he not only prays for all his disciples but for us as well. We also dive into Christ's trial with Pilate, and how the actions of the Jews are much like ours today. Today's readings are John 16-18 and Proverbs 6:12-15. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 104, and I am glad to be here with everyone. We are reading from the gospel of John chapter 16, 17, and 18. And just what an incredible gift to be able to be with Jesus during the last supper and into his passion. Just what a gift

to be able to be with him today. We're also reading from Proverbs chapter 6 verses 12 to 15. As always, the Bible translation that I am reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to be able to follow along, you can download your Bible in a Year reading plan by visiting ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. Also, if you've not yet subscribed, it's day 104. Why? Why? Why? I just want to know. What's the problem? Anyways, today, what an incredible gift. Once again, reading from the Holy Gospel according to John chapter 16, 17, and 18, as well as Proverbs chapter 6, verses 12 through 15.

The Gospel of John chapter 16. Jesus continued, The work of the Spirit. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me. Yet none of you asks me, where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth.

It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin, because they do not believe in me. Of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. Therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Sorrow will turn into joy. A little while and you will see me no more.

Again a little while and you will see me. Some of his disciples said to one another, What is this that he says to us? A little while and you will not see me. And again a little while and you will see me. And because I go to the Father? They said, What does he mean by a little while? We do not know what he means.

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him. So he said to them, Is this what you are asking yourselves? What I meant by saying a little while and you will not see me and again a little while and you will see me? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her hour has come. But when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a child is born into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly I say to you,

if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. Peace for the disciples. I have said this to you in figures. The hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures, but tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I shall ask the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you. His disciples said, Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure. Now we know that you know all things and need none to question you. By this we believe that you came from God. Jesus answered them,

Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Chapter 17. Jesus prays for the church. When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made. I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours and you gave

them to me and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words which you gave me and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture

might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake, I consecrate myself that they also may be consecrated in truth.

I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, and they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these know that you

have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. Chapter 18. The Arrest of Jesus. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, Whom do you seek? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am he. Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When he said to them, I am he, they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, Whom do you seek? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered,

I told you that I am he. So if you seek me, let these men go. This was to fulfill the word which he had spoken, Of those to whom you gave me, I lost not one. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the chalice which the Father has given me? Jesus before the high priest. So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas,

for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. Peter denies Jesus. Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the high priest along with Jesus while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door and brought Peter in. The maid who kept the door said to Peter, Are you not also one of this man's disciples? He said, I am not. Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming

himself. The high priest questions Jesus. The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come together. I have said nothing secretly. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. They know what I said. When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand saying, is that how you answer the high priest? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me? Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.

Peter denies Jesus again. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, again. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, Are you not also one of his disciples? He denied it and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, Did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter again denied it, and at once the cock crowed. Jesus before Pilate. Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, What accusation do you bring against this man? They answered him, If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have handed him over. Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.

The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. This was to fulfill the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what death he was to die. Jesus sentenced to death. Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus and said to him, Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, My kingship is not of this world. If my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight that I might not be handed over to the Jews. But my kingship is not from the world. Pilate said to him, So you are a king. Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For

this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate said to him, What is truth? After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, I find no crime in him, but you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. Will you have me released for you, the king of the Jews? They cried out again, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Now Barabbas was a robber. With perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord. Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly.

In a moment he will be broken beyond healing. Father in heaven, we thank you. Thank you for your word. Thank you for allowing us to hear the prayer of the son to you, father. On the night he was betrayed, on the night he was denied, on the night he was handed over to his enemies, to those who mocked and falsely accused and ultimately killed him. On this night, father, in your word, you give us a picture of how your son spoke with you, how much he not only loves you, but how much he loves those who are his own in the world. Father, thank you so much for giving us access to the son's prayer. Thank you for allowing us to be

the ones he prayed for. And Father, we just ask that you please show your heart to us and the heart of your son who is so humbled and humiliated that he is willing to be exchanged with a robber for our sake. He's willing to take the place of the guilty, even as he is guiltless. Help us to know this more and more deeply. In Jesus' name we pray, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Man, so as we noted, we had the high priestly prayer. This is the high priestly prayer of Jesus in John, beginning with John chapter 13, essentially,

but also concluding here with John chapter 16 and 17. And that this, this prayer is not only so remarkable because not only does Jesus make it incredibly clear that he knows that all those who belong to him in this world will have trouble. He says, he says, again, it's just the last line of chapter 16, where Jesus says, I've said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. And RSV translation says, in the world you will have tribulation. Be of good cheer because I have overcome the world. And this is one of the critical pieces for all of us who follow after Jesus is we recognize that he doesn't promise us life free from pain, doesn't promise us that following him would give us anything except what it brought him, that it brought

him derision. It brought him humiliation. It brought him the loss of everything except for his father. It brought him the loss of everything except for himself, essentially, even his friends. As we heard, you know, Judas betraying him, as we were able to hear Peter denying him, it brought him all these losses and Jesus promises, yep, that's what you will get as well. You will have tribulation in this world, but take heart because I've overcome the world. And that's one of the things that's so powerful

is that here's Jesus saying, yep, you're going to have this difficulty. You're going to, the world is going to stomp on you. And then the next chapter is so incredible because not only does Jesus then pray for these, right? He prays for these apostles, these disciples who are right in front of him, but he also then prays. He says, I not only pray for them, I pray for all those who will come to believe through their teaching, through their word, Lord God, which means you guys today, you heard Jesus himself praying for you because you are someone who has come to believe in him through the preaching of the apostles. This is incredible. You just heard today that yes,

Jesus says in this world, they'll have trouble in this world. There'll be trial and tribulation in this world. There'll be so many problems in. But take heart, I've overcome the world. And I now also, in the apex of his life, in the moment of great excruciating pain of his life, he's thinking of you. In the great moment of pain in his life, here's Jesus, and he's praying specifically for you, saying, Father, I pray for all those who will come to know you, to know me, through the words of the apostles. And here we are. And here we are. And here we are today on day 104. Lastly, you know, Jesus is being handed over and betrayed. Jesus is being denied. And also Jesus being tried by Pilate. Pilate asks this question, what is truth? And that's the question

of our age, right? The question of our age is relativistic. It's relativism. And it's, well, you have your truth and we have my truth. And Jesus says, well, no, actually, that's not accurate. Jesus makes it incredibly clear where he says that everyone who hears the truth, everyone who is of the truth, hears my voice. And yet the very next thing that happens is the people that Jesus came to actually save. Because, you know, we know this, that Jesus was sent for the Jewish people, first of all, because they are his people. And the Jewish people have an incredible place in God's heart.

That's one of the reasons why we're reading the Old Testament, reading the Hebrew scriptures, is because the Jewish people had and have an incredible place in God the Father's heart. He was sent specifically and firstly, primarily for them. That's what Jesus even says this. I came to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And then beyond that is the rest of us who weren't necessarily born Jewish. But then he came to his people, just as John says in the beginning of this gospel in chapter one, he says he came to his own people and they knew him not. And instead, what do we choose? Well, they chose what we choose. And here's Barabbas, who was a robber of the gospel, he was a murderer. And they say, we don't want this man. We don't want the son of the father. We want Barabbas. And Barabbas, as you may know, Bar is son of, and Abbas is father.

Barabbas is his name. And crazy way means son of the father. And so what happens is the Jews in this moment do what we do all the time. They reject the true son of the father for a distorted version of the son of the father. We do this all the time. We say, Jesus, I know you love me, but I'm going to give my heart to something or someone that does not love me back. And we choose the Barabbas instead of choosing the son of the father. God, we ask you to please help us, help us to choose you this day and every day. Help us to draw close to you. Let it be possible that what you've done for us in humbling yourself and being humiliated and enduring suffering, and as we are going to hear tomorrow, enduring crucifixion, death, and resurrection, that you did it all for the

Father's glory and you did it all for us. Let it not go to waste on us. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me that we can choose the true son of the Father this day and every day. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.