The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of our “leave taking” experiences and our ongoing prayer for love and full life for the people we see less frequently than we want.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian presbyters.
* [20:16–35] Apparently aware of difficulties at Ephesus and neighboring areas, Paul calls the presbyters together at Miletus, about thirty miles from Ephesus. He reminds them of his dedication to the gospel (Acts 20:18–21), speaks of what he is about to suffer for the gospel (Acts 20:22–27), and admonishes them to guard the community against false prophets, sure to arise upon his departure (Acts 20:28–31). He concludes by citing a saying of Jesus (Acts 20:35) not recorded in the gospel tradition. Luke presents this farewell to the Ephesian presbyters as Paul’s last will and testament.
* [20:28] Overseers: see note on Phil 1:1. The church of God: because the clause “that he acquired with his own blood” following “the church of God” suggests that “his own blood” refers to God’s blood, some early copyists changed “the church of God” to “the church of the Lord.” Some prefer the translation “acquired with the blood of his own,” i.e., Christ. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 20, n.d.)
Psalm 68 is prayer that the defeated enemies bring tribute to the Temple.
* [Psalm 68] The Psalm is extremely difficult because the Hebrew text is badly preserved and the ceremony that it describes is uncertain. The translation assumes the Psalm accompanied the early autumn Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth), which included a procession of the tribes (Ps 68:25–28). Israel was being oppressed by a foreign power, perhaps Egypt (Ps 68:31–32)—unless Egypt stands for any oppressor. The Psalm may have been composed from segments of ancient poems, which would explain why the transitions are implied rather than explicitly stated. God’s past help and for the future interventions that will be modeled on the ancient exodus-conquest (Ps 68:20–24); 7. procession at the Feast of Tabernacles (Ps 68:25–28); 8. prayer that the defeated enemies bring tribute to the Temple (Ps 68:29–32); 9. invitation for all kingdoms to praise Israel’s God (Ps 68:33–35). (Psalms, PSALM 68, n.d.)
The Gospel of John presents The Prayer of Jesus in the Last Supper Discourse.
* [17:1–26] Climax of the last discourse(s). Since the sixteenth century, this chapter has been called the “high priestly prayer” of Jesus. He speaks as intercessor, with words addressed directly to the Father and not to the disciples, who supposedly only overhear. Yet the prayer is one of petition, for immediate (Jn 17:6–19) and future (Jn 17:20–21) disciples. Many phrases reminiscent of the Lord’s Prayer occur. Although still in the world (Jn 17:13), Jesus looks on his earthly ministry as a thing of the past (Jn 17:4, 12). Whereas Jesus has up to this time stated that the disciples could follow him (Jn 13:33, 36), now he wishes them to be with him in union with the Father (Jn 17:12–14). (John, CHAPTER 17, n.d.)
David Crawford comments that one of the pastors at his church regularly includes in his benediction the call to “surrender your anxious cares to God.”
We see that with Paul, who surrenders his anxieties when he tells the presbyters, I commend you to God. We hear echoes of that in the Gospel reading, when Jesus surrenders his anxieties by praying for God to keep and protect his followers. If you are worried for someone, the best you can do for them is to lift them to God in prayer. For those of us who question ourselves – “Am I ready?” or “Why didn’t I prepare better?” or “Will I be okay?” – surrender those anxious cares to God. (Crawford, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The Bond of Christian Unity in Love,” by Cyril of Alexandria, 375-444 A.D.
"Christ wishes the disciples to be kept in a state of unity by maintaining a like-mindedness and an identity of will, being mingled together as it were in soul and spirit and in the law of peace and love for one another. He wishes them to be bound together tightly with an unbreakable bond of love, that they may advance to such a degree of unity that their freely chosen association might even become an image of the natural unity that is conceived to exist between the Father and the Son. That is to say, he wishes them to enjoy a unity that is inseparable and indestructible, which may not be enticed away into a dissimilarity of wills by anything at all that exists in the world or any pursuit of pleasure, but rather reserves the power of love in the unity of devotion and holiness. And this is what happened. For as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, 'the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul' (Acts 4:32), that is, in the unity of the Spirit. This is also what Paul himself meant when he said 'one body and one Spirit' (Ephesians 4:4). 'We who are many are one body in Christ for we all partake of the one bread' (1 Corinthians 10:17; Romans 12:5), and we have all been anointed in the one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13)." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 11.9.18) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 20:28-38 comments on the example Paul gives to us as we entrust our loved ones to God and intercede for them. Obviously, we pray fervently. We may even shed some tears as we tell the Lord about our concerns. We take opportunities to speak to them from the heart, but we don’t have to be consumed with worry. As we place them in the capable hands of our God, we can be confident that he will take care of the people we love, no matter what dangers or threats lie ahead.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. When you’re praying for a child who is discerning a religious vocation or a grandchild who seems to be getting into trouble or your sister who doesn’t want to go to church anymore, you might feel helpless. But this is where faith comes in. Ask yourself, “Is God able to protect them? Is he aware of the uncertainties that lie ahead for them? Does he know the hidden things that are going on in their hearts? Does he love them enough to help them?” The answer to all these questions is a resounding “Yes!” So take that step of faith, and like Paul, commend them and their needs to God.
“Heavenly Father, I trust you to take care of my loved ones, come what may!” (Meditation on Acts 20:28-38, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that the Acts of the Apostles continues discourse concerning the savage wolves who would challenge the community from the outside and inside. Taught them the truth for three years even as he wanted to preach to all that the world was ending. The Gospel of John is the continuation of last Supper Discourse. Friar Jude reminds us of Jesus' petition to the Father to keep his disciples “living in the world but not of the world.”
Brian McLaren considers how Jesus’ inclusive message invites us to ongoing conversion. He points to the sacramental nature of baptism and the Eucharist, honoring the radical inclusivity of Jesus’ mission, while also naming the deep commitment required to join it.
What we need is a requirement that those who wish to enter actually have a change of heart—that they don’t sneak in to accomplish their own agenda, but rather that they genuinely want to learn a new way of thinking, feeling, living, and being in “the pastures of God.” Perhaps that is why baptism … was so important to Jesus and his disciples…. It was important to call people to a change of heart and give them a dramatic way of going public by saying, “Yes, this change of heart has happened within me, and I’m willing to identify myself publicly as a person who is on a new path.” And perhaps the Christian ritual of Eucharist was intended to function in a similar way—a kind of regular recommitment where people say, by gathering around a table and sharing in bread and wine, that they are continuing Jesus’ tradition of gathering in an inclusive community. “I’m still in,” they’re saying, “My heart is still in this mission and dream. I’m still committed.” (McLaren, n.d.)
We implore the Spirit to guide us as we surrender our anxieties from living in the world to Jesus' prayer that we may be His disciples “living in the world but not of the world”.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 20. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/20?28
Crawford, D. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/060425.html
John, CHAPTER 17. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/17?11
McLaren, B. (n.d.). Inviting Further Conversion. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/inviting-further-conversion/
Meditation on Acts 20:28-38. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/06/04/1297956/
Psalms, PSALM 68. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/68?29
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Consecrated in God's Truth. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jun4
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