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One in Heart and mind

For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; 
      They'll continue in the world 
      While I return to you. 
      Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life 
      That you conferred as a gift through me, 
      So they can be one heart and mind 
      As we are one heart and mind. 

 John 17:11 [The Message]

Jesus’ farewell blessing for us is for us to be one as Jesus and God are one. That the quality of companionship between Jesus and God is the measure of our companionship with each other and all creation.  
"No longer in the world" cannot be understood literally. The disciples are now "in" Jesus. They are bonded with him; they abide in him. They are also still "in" the world, but in addition, they are now also embedded in the reality of Jesus. That they also are in the world is the reason for their needing protection.
Jesus prays for our protection so that we may be one as Jesus and God are one.
The grace is "that we may be one as Jesus and God are one." If we are at one with Jesus and with God then we are at one with all God created and Jesus came to save.

On this beautiful spring day, I share with you this beautiful quote by Hildegard of Bingen:

Everything that is in the heavens,
on earth, and under the earth is
Penetrated with connectedness,
Penetrated with relatedness.

Contemplative Prayer Questions:

Can you sense the and connectedness of everything in heaven and earth that Saint Hildegard describes in this quote? 
How do you think your life would change if you could? 
How do you think the world would change if we all could?

Lord, grace us with a deeper understanding of how interconnected each and every one of us is with You, our heavenly Father. In Jesus name, we pray.

Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash