"Jesus Prays"

Sermon by The Rev. Cindy Carter

June 1, 2025

Like me, you probably read or heard many words of sympathy and

remembrance following the death of Pope Francis – words from politicians

and government officials, monarchs, religious leaders, celebrities, and

everyday, ordinary people around the world.

But one statement I saw began in a deeply personal way. “Pope

Francis changed my life.” These words came from John Boehner, the

former Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Some of you may know about the experience on which Speaker Boehner’s

statement was based. 

I first learned about this experience several years ago when I listened to the

Audible version of the book, On the House, read by Speaker Boehner. I had

Heard a reporter I respect say that this book, subtitled A Washington

Memoir; was the funniest political book that she’d ever read. And, it is

indeed a very funny book. I’m sure my neighbors wondered why I was

laughing out loud as I took my daily walks with my airpods in my ears. If

you’ve read it, you know what I mean. If you think you might be interested

in reading it, one warning – the language is, shall we say, salty. 

While Mr. Boehner and I may not agree on many things, as I read the book I discovered many ways in which we are more alike than I would have expected.

For example, I had not known that the former speaker is a person of faith. A devout Roman Catholic. In On the House, he described a day on which he said he had never seen Congress more happy. It was the day that Pope Francis, at Speaker Boehner’s invitation, addressed a joint session of Congress.

In a moment when the Speaker found himself alone with the Pope, Francis embraced him and said, “Mr. Speaker, pray for me.” Boehner’s response was, “Holy Father, who am I to pray for you?” But, he added that he prayed for the Holy Father then and still does. 

That is the moment that Speaker Boehner said changed his life.

Pray for me. Such important words in a life of faith.

This morning we have heard about one of Jesus’ prayers. 

This prayer, recorded in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John, is the final scene in Jesus’ farewell meal with his disciples, just before his arrest. 

It is the prayer of one on the verge of willingly laying down his life and in that willing death completing the work that the Father had given him to do. It is the prayer of one who knows he has come from glory and is totally confident of returning to that glory.

Jesus is speaking to God, the Father, on the eve of his death. And, at such an intense moment as this, with the agony of the cross looming right in front of him, what is of utmost concern to Jesus? What is he speaking with the Father about in his prayer? 

As we heard in the reading from John’s Gospel, Jesus was praying for those the Father had given him. Praying that the Father would protect them as they continued on in the world after Jesus and ascended to the Father.

At that moment, Jesus is concerned about his followers, the community of believers. And, it is on behalf of that community Jesus prayed that as he faced death. 

He prayed for those who were his followers that night in Jerusalem; he prayed for those who would become his followers in other places following his death, resurrection, and ascension; he prayed for us.

Jesus entrusted the hope for the future of all his followers to God. 

It’s amazing, isn’t it? Literally, the last thing John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus did before he was betrayed and arrested was to pray for his followers. 

He didn’t hurriedly give his disciples a bunch of last minute instructions; just to be sure that they knew exactly what to do in his absence. No check list of items to insure church unity or to tell his followers exactly how to carry out their mission and ministry. No rules for how to remain faithful in the world, where evil is indeed a reality. 

No, instead, his last words before his betrayal and arrest were directed, not to the disciples – but to the Father. 

In that moment, Jesus turned the future of his followers over to God. Over to a God who Jesus knew could be trusted with that future, because of God’s great love for these followers. He entrusted our future to the hands of God – this one whose hands are absolutely sure, absolutely good, and absolutely full of love. 

Jesus’ prayer modeled how we are to understand and receive our identity. Our life as individual followers of Jesus and as the faith community, the church, depends completely on God’s care; our future rests in God’s hands. Our identity is in God alone.

Knowing that God’s grace, presence, and love surround us and uphold us surely gives us confidence that we – as individuals and as the faith community - can face challenges and opportunities with boldness and courage, with patience and faith. 

You see Jesus’ intercession for us did not end with that prayer following his farewell meal with his disciples in Jerusalem so many years ago.

In his Letter to the Romans, Paul assured us that it is “Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” And, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews described Jesus as an eternal priest - one who lives forever to make intercession on our behalf.

This morning, can we get our minds around the fact that Jesus - this one who is the only Son, so close to the Father’s heart; this one who loves us so much - prays for us? He prayed for his followers just before his own death and he continues to intercede for us. He has entrusted us to God’s trustworthy care and our future is in those sure, good, loving hands. 

Knowing that people pray for me is incredibly sustaining for me. Having people ask me to pray for them builds bonds between us that perhaps never existed before.  Pope Francis’ request for Speaker Boehner to pray for him changed his life.

But, frankly, when I really think about the fact that Jesus- this one who loves me so much, more than I can even imagine - prays for me and for the church, when I really try to take that into my head and my heart, it absolutely takes my breath away. 

How might our definition of who we are as followers of Jesus and who we are as a faith community change,

how might our understanding of the idea of church unity change,

how might our faithfulness in a world where evil is a reality change,

how might our life together, ur mission and ministry, change–

if we took as our beginning point this statement -

We are a community for whom Jesus prays. We are a community for whom Jesus prays..

For indeed, we are that community.

And, my friends, that changes everything. AMEN.