Following Jesus in the World
As we continue from yesterday's reflection on authentic discipleship, we encounter Jesus in one of His most tender moments of intercession. In John 17:11b-19, Jesus prays, "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are... I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one." Notice what Jesus doesn't pray for - He doesn't ask the Father to beam us up to heaven to avoid life's messiness. Star Trek reference (smile). Instead, He asks for divine protection while we remain planted firmly in the world. This is the Catholic understanding of sanctification: we're called to be holy not by escaping reality, but by transforming it through our presence. It's like being spiritual Navy SEALs, equipped for a mission in hostile territory, except our weapons are love, truth, joy, and the Rosary, rather than anything that could hurt someone.
The genius of Jesus' prayer reveals itself in His request for unity and consecration in truth. "Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth," He prays, understanding that following Him authentically means being set apart not by our location, but by our allegiance. As Catholics, we know that this consecration happens powerfully in the sacraments - especially in the Eucharist, where we're literally united with Jesus Christ and, through Him, with one another. But here's the delightful twist: this consecration isn't meant to make us weird or disconnected from others. Instead, it should make us the most genuinely human people around, because we're becoming who God always intended us to be. When we're consecrated in truth, we become irresistibly attractive in the best possible way - not because we're perfect, but because we're authentic, joyful, and genuinely care about others' well-being.
Jesus declares, "I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely," and this might be the most underestimated aspect of Christian discipleship. Following Jesus authentically should result in deep, unshakeable joy - not the fake smile kind, but the kind that can laugh at life's absurdities while remaining anchored in eternal hope. This joy becomes our greatest evangelization tool because genuinely joyful Christians stand out in a world that often seems starved for real hope. When we live consecrated in truth, people notice there's something different about how we handle stress, disappointment, and even success. We become living proof that life with Jesus Christ isn't just about avoiding hell - it's about experiencing heaven's joy breaking into ordinary afternoons.
The breathtaking climax of Jesus' prayer comes with His commissioning: "As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world." This isn't just a nice sentiment - it's our marching orders. Every Catholic is sent into their particular corner of the world with the same mission Jesus had: to reveal the Father's love through authentic living. Whether you're changing diapers, managing spreadsheets, teaching children, or serving coffee, you're on a divine mission to demonstrate that following Jesus Christ authentically makes life more beautiful, not more burdensome. The world desperately needs to see Christians who are more joyful, more peaceful, much more generous, and more hopeful than their circumstances would naturally produce. When we live this way - protected by the Father's name, united in truth, and overflowing with our Lord's joy - we become the answer to Jesus' prayer and the hope the world has been waiting for, often without even knowing it.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
