'They do not belong to this world'

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091623.cfm
II Corinthians 4:7-15
John 17:11-19

From what we know, the Apostle John was the youngest of the twelve. We also know that he was the last to die. During his lifetime he was one of three, along with Peter and James, to witness some of the more striking events in Jesus life. These three alone were present when the daughter of a synagogue official was restored to life; they were present at the Transfiguration; and again they were specially called aside by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. John, however, was the only Apostle present at the crucifixion. All in all, John probably had as many as seventy-five years to reflect on those three years he spent in the company of Jesus and the Twelve.

Both from the circumstances of his life and from his writings I have always thought of John as a mystic. His record of Jesus, as we hear those words today, confirm the depth and mystery of his insight. This prayer of Jesus (of which we are today offered a small portion) contains truths which need a lifetime of meditation, more so than we can possibly address in a serious manner. So let’s take a very small bite.

Home has a sacred place in our lives. It finds it’s way into our hearts through our lived experience and that overflows into a variety of the arts. It’s in our songs: “There’s no place like home for the holidays.” “O give me a home where the buffalo roam.” “0h Shenandoah I long to see you . . .” It’s in our poetry: “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” “Tis home where'er the heart is, Where'er its loved ones dwell.” It’s in our movies: “I want to go home . . . Home to Tara.” “There’s no place like home.”

Any of these sound familiar?

In today’s reading from John’s Gospel Jesus talks about going home. “Now I am coming to you.” Jesus prays to the Father. Now we’re hardly surprised at this turn of events. We knew he would go home to the Father sooner or later. But there is an additional part of Jesus’ prayer that deserves our immediate and thoughtful attention. It’s just a verse or two further down.

“They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.”

This is a phenomenal statement. Why? Because it confirms what we may frequently suspect and, even more frequently ignore: this earth is not our home. Those who have lived in more difficult and tumultuous times possibly found it easier to incorporate this truth into their lives, especially the spiritual aspect of their lives. The day to day consequences of Adam and Eve’s failure was ever present; and the sense that one truly belonged somewhere else was ever suggested. This is not so for many of us. In many ways we are less fortunate, for our lives of comparative ease may lure us into a contentment with a place that is not our home. It might be as if Dorothy found peace and satisfaction in Oz, in time forgetting about Auntie Em. It can also be easy to forget, as many travelers well know. New environments can be enchanting especially if accompanied by satisfactory degrees of luxury, friendship and peace. But those who belong to Christ know the truth as recounted in the Gospel of today: We do not belong to the world. This is not our true home.

As a cradle Catholic I have known the rosary for years. Nevertheless, the closing prayer, the “Hail Holy Queen” contains a phrase that has regularly caught my attention. The prayer reminds us that we are the “banished children of Eve” and that we find ourselves “weeping and mourning in this vale of tears.” The prayer moves toward its conclusion with this petition: “Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.” This is not just an image. It is a fact. We have Jesus word for it. We do not belong to the world. This is not our true home.

Let’s be careful, lest we forget.