Holy Monday, March 30, 2026

Opening Scripture

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Ephesians 1:3-10

Opening Prayer

Gracious Father, as we begin this Holy Week, may we be especially mindful of the humility, love, and devotion the Lord Jesus demonstrated in the final week of His earthly ministry. He modeled servanthood for His disciples. He suffered abuse from religious leaders. He forgave His executioners. He remained faithful to the end. Stir our hearts to deeper humility, love, and devotion for the sake of Jesus our Lord, who rules and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever more. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

John 17:1-26

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.”

“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.”

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Reflection  

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Today’s passage records Jesus’ “high priestly prayer” during that first Holy Week as part of the Passover celebration (which begins here on Thursday). And what a prayer it is!

Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet (chapter 13), and given them extensive instruction (chapters 14-16), ending with the triumphant statement: “I have overcome the world!” Jesus assures his followers that even though they have tribulation (thlipsin) in the world (kosmos), He has won the ultimate victory (nikē) over the world.

Now, He turns His attention to the Father. John’s note that “Jesus looked toward heaven” is the observation of an eyewitness. John records for us the powerful intercession of the Lord Jesus on behalf of those He loves.

All that transpired in Jesus’ earthly life has led to this moment. “Father, the hour has come.” Jesus’ request that the Father “glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” includes sustaining Jesus in suffering, accomplishing His purpose in death, raising Him from the grave, and restoring Him to the glory which He had before the creation of the universe.

Jesus’ commitment to doing the Father’s will is woven throughout this prayer. The fulfillment of God’s eternal plan of redemption would bring supreme glory to Father, Son, and Spirit. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

After praying for Himself, Jesus prays for His disciples. Five times, He refers to them as “those you have given me.” This term is rich in meaning! It denotes divine selection, adoption, ownership, responsibility, and covenantal love. Jesus expresses deep concern for His disciples’ unity, protection, and sanctification.

The unity that Jesus desires for His followers is a oneness in devotion to Him and a shared dedication to His purposes. Despite their differences and disagreements, the world will know they belong to Him by their love for one another.

The protection that Jesus desires for His followers is both physical and spiritual. Jesus has stated that the world will hate them for being His disciples. He has “protected” them during His earthly ministry as their Good Shepherd. Now, He asks the Father to watch over them, helping them keep the faith, bear witness, share joy, and overcome the evil one.

The sanctification that Jesus desires for His followers is a “set apartness” – dedication to God, empowered by the Spirit – that results in their being made holy for God’s purposes. It’s an intentional discipleship – a transformation by the renewing of the mind – that enables believers to know and do God’s will.

After praying for His disciples, Jesus prays for you and me! His prayer on our behalf recalls last Tuesday’s passage, expressing the intimacy of our relationship with the Trinitarian Fellowship. Jesus prays, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Our harmonious, Spirit-filled, shared life as the Body of Christ gives evidence of the Truth of the gospel. As the Church, we have the responsibility of validating the claims of Jesus through the way we live, trust, share, and serve.

Flourishing Habit

Intentional Discipleship

In today’s passage, Jesus’ states definitively: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” He could have also said, “Now this is the Christian life” or “Now this is the abundant life.”

The word “know” here (ginōskōsin) is used elsewhere in the Bible to describe the intimacy of a sexual relationship. It reflects a deep, personal, experiential interaction with another individual. “Knowing God” is not acknowledging belief, memorizing information, or following a set of rules. It’s a life-changing love relationship!

Anyone who says they have “tried Christianity” and “it wasn’t for them” has never truly tried Christianity. Certainly not the way Jesus established it!

When you trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are “born again.” You become spiritually alive and able to understand spiritual truth. The Holy Spirit – the Counselor – comes to live inside you, prompting you to pursue your relationship with God. You begin to submit to the Spirit’s control, instead of your old nature.

As you continue to follow Jesus, you are transformed over time from the inside out. Your identity will be based on your relationship with God. Your outlook and worldview will be shaped by your relationship with God. Your values and priorities will be oriented around your relationship with God. Your whole life will be centered on your relationship with God.

Does that describe you?

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!