Jesus addresses the Father, telling Him to glorify Him so that the Son may glorify Him, as He prays for those entrusted to Him in His immense and impervious mission.
The beginning of this chapter, illustrating the wonderful priestly prayer of Christ, transfers us to the world of prayer of Francis of Assisi, liturgist of the universe and of humanity.
In the Sources we find equivalent passages - pearls of Franciscan contemplation.
In the Letters of the Minim of Assisi:
"Oh, how glorious and holy and great it is to have a Father in heaven!
Oh, how holy, how consoling, how beautiful and how admirable it is to have such a Spouse!
Oh, how holy, how delightful, how pleasant, how humble, how peaceful, how sweet and lovable and above all things desirable to have such a brother and son, who offered his life for the sheep and prayed to the Father for us, saying:
"Holy Father, keep in thy name those whom thou hast given me. Father, all those you gave me in the world were yours and you gave them to me [...]" (FF 201).
And again:
"To him who suffered so much for us, who bestowed so much good and who will bestow so much good on us in the future, to God, every creature who lives in the heavens, on earth, in the sea and in the deep, give praise, glory, honour and blessing, for he is our virtue and our strength. He alone is good, alone is most high, alone is almighty, alone is admirable, and alone is holy, worthy of praise, and blessed for ever and ever. Amen" (FF 202).
The same sons of Francis, after the departure of their holy father, we see them praying with words and attitudes that recall the priestly prayer of Jesus.
"Remember, O Father, all your children. You, O most holy one, know perfectly well how, distressed by grave dangers, they only follow in your footsteps from afar. Give them strength to endure, purify them that they may shine, make them fruitful that they may bear fruit. Obtain that the spirit of grace and prayer may be poured out upon them, that they may have the true humility that thou hast had, observe the poverty that thou hast followed, merit that charity with which thou hast always loved Christ Crucified. He lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen" (FF 820).
«I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours» (Jn 17:9)
Tuesday 7th wk. in Easter (Jn 17:1-11a)