Consecrate them in the truth.Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
With these words Jesus consecrates himself and his apostles. Tomorrow we will hear his blessing for us, “those who will believe in me through their word...”
The word consecrates invites our meditation. We hear it used during Jesus’ “Priestly Prayer,” which occurs within his “Farewell Discourse” of Saint John’s Gospel. Jesus’ consecration of himself and his disciples appears as a final act of preparation before his passion. Consecration (literally, make holy) is the core of his Last Supper and our Eucharist.
In the context of these moments before his passion, I think of primitive warriors as they prepare for combat. I’ve not witnessed such rituals but I understand they sing and dance and work themselves into a fever of ready anticipation. There may be screams, shrieks and blood-letting. In the rush of adrenalin residual fears are forgotten; memories of loved ones and domestic duties are set aside. There is nothing to be done but fight and kill and, perhaps, survive; but the warrior prefers death to dishonor. His entire attention is focused on the coming battle. He has no future.
Facing crucifixion and death, Jesus consecrates himself for us “so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” From this moment on his entire attention is focused on God his Father, whose name is Truth. If he has a future, it lies beyond his Crucifixion. We might rightly suppose Jesus’ attention was always on God the Father, but this passage reminds us of the importance and intensity of his Passion.
It was not an accident; it was not an unfortunate incident that aborted this promising young man’s life. Jesus’ crucifixion is the culmination, the consummation of his life. (Older Catholics will recall the Douay-Rheims translation of John 19:30, “It is consummated!”)
During the 19th century some optimistic Christian theologians thought of Jesus as a great teacher. They understood his religion as founded on great principles, but they did not think his crucifixion was necessary. They believed that good ideas and solid education would make the world safe and pleasant. Ending that period, scripture scholars described more accurately the gospels as “passion narratives with long introductions.” His crucifixion was absolutely necessary to the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission.
Finally, in this 17th chapter of John, he has consecrated us in truth. Though few of us are called to martyrdom, all of us are called to live in the Truth. Not even tomorrow is more important.
Truth, the key word.
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