Number 209 - December 2001

"They have kept your Word" Words of Father FINET

pages 30-31

Let us follow Jesus with St. John, Chap. 17.
"And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world was made".
"I have manifested your name to the men whom You gave me out of the world".
I have told them that your name is Father, and our Father. And I could even say the same thing, now, during this retreat: Father, I have manifested your name to the retreatants whom You gave me; I have told them that You are Father, their Father and our Father.
And "they have kept your word. Now they know that everything You have given me is from You".
Jesus is a life received
"For I have given them the words which You gave me. They have received them and know in truth that I came from You; and they have believed that You did send me". In other words I am a life received from you: your Son. Not only have I manifested your name of Father, but they know that I am your Son.
"I am praying for them".
He is surrounded with his apostles.
"I am not praying for the world".
What a strange word indeed. And still He will go up on to the cross for the world.
"But for those whom You have given me, for they are yours, and all that is mine is yours, and all that is yours is mine".
Have you noticed this wording of love, of self-giving. The joy of loving, it is the joy of self-giving.

If you pray, if you live in unity, the world will believe.

"While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which You have given me, and I have guarded them. And none of them was lost but the son of perdition. I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world".

Of course not, you don't belong to the spirit of the world. You are of the Spirit of Christ. You shall often come into conflict with the spirit of the world.

"As I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world".
Not at all; it would be a great pity. May you be true Christians within the world, so that you may be witnesses.
"But that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth".

The truth, it is God our Father, and Mary our Mother. That is the truth.
"Your word is truth. As You sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world".
Set out into the world.
"And for their sake I consecrate myself that they also may be consecrated in truth. However, I do not pray for these only".
... my apostles...
"But also for those who will believe in me through their word".

... the word of apostles.

"That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in me, and I in You".
You must be ONE; but not just any kind of unity; the unity of the Father and of the Son, which comes from the Holy Spirit. Everyone is called, but there are few who are chosen. And you are among them. You have the mission to live in unity, but in the unity which is the Father's and the Son's. Why?
"So that the world may believe".

That world for which Jesus does not pray: for it is not ready to receive Him. If the world sees that you live united, it will say: "See how much they love one another". The world will then change its heart, it will be ready to welcome the prayer of Jesus, and conversion. But if you do not live in unity, the world will not become converted. Here lies our responsibility: it is very great and serious.
"I am not praying for the world"
I pray that you may live in unity; so that the world, seeing you live in unity, may believe in love. And that, believing in love, it may change its heart and become converted. There is the secret of the apostolate.

To live is to receive in order to give.

I would gladly tell you what St. Paul wrote to Timothy:
"Timothy, keep the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit". (2 Tim 1,14).

As for you, the words I have entrusted to you with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will keep within your heart, and not only in your memory.

"What you have received before many witnesses" (2 Tim 2,2).
You also are those many witnesses hearing the word.
This word: "Entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also".

This message you have received, keep it in your heart, with the help of the Holy Spirit who will unceasingly warm it up within you, and give life to it. Do not keep it for yourself, because to live is receiving in order to give. You keep the word in view of giving it to reliable men whom you will meet. And be sure to give evidence to these reliable men of what you have received, through your words and your behaviour. With the result that, being so convincing, you will draw many to attend retreats, and they will become converted in their turn.

If I asked you: who is behind your coming here? There is surely someone you trusted, a former retreatant who once told you: "You must go there". You heard the message and you came. And I am telling you the same thing; for should you keep the word in your heart without passing it over to trusty people, you would stifle my word, and I would groan because you would prevent my ministry from attaining its fulfilment. My ministry will have its full impact through your own testimony to reliable people "so that the world may believe".