Thursday 5 June 2025
St Boniface
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope – Ps 15(16):1-2, 5, 7-11. John 17:20-26.
We pray for deeper friendships
In today’s Gospel, Jesus notes that he prays not only for his followers, ‘but for those who will believe in me through their word’. Sadly, much has been made over the centuries of the conflict between the early Christians and Jewish Pharisees and Sadducees. Today’s First Reading might, in some ages, have been used to justify antisemitism. Yet reading of Paul’s response, particularly in light of the Gospel, one can actually sense the deep relationship between Christianity and Judaism, and the seeds of friendship that might be possible.
Paul knows where a more friendly conversation between them might start, evoking the Christian hope in the Resurrection. It’s enough for the Pharisees to walk back their accusations against him.
Today, then, we pray for deeper friendship between ourselves as Christians and our Jewish brothers and sisters.
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