The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for your home

June 1, 2025 – Seventh Sunday of Easter, John 17:20-26

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Download this simple process to Prepare for Sunday using the Observe, Judge, Act Method

The Gospel of John offers us some of the most thought-provoking and deeply spiritual ideas in all the Bible. Especially the words of today’s gospel, which were spoken by Jesus during the Last Supper. In prayerful fashion he prayers to God: “You loved me before the foundation of the world” and I pray “that the love with which you loved me may it be in them, and (that) I (be) in them.”

One of my deepest interests focuses on the history and nature of the entire universe. We are so blessed by the recent discoveries and findings provided us in the science of astronomy. The pictures being sent to us daily by the James Webb Space Telescope bring tears to my eyes when I allow these images to penetrate my consciousness.

For the last fifty years I have tried to keep abreast of all that we are learning about the created universe, and our place in it with its incredible vastness, populated by billions and billions of stars and galaxies. We have also become aware of its ever-changing nature involving the birth and demise of countless stars every day. I am especially impressed by our many discoveries and findings, particularly learning in the last century about the age of the universe. Some ancients imagined it to be eternal. In other words, it was always there. We now know with certainty that this was not true.

Our universe had a beginning roughly 13.8 billion years ago. And we also can describe in detail exactly what the first second of its existence was like. Scientists call this moment “the singularity.” Basically, all the energy and matter in the universe was contained in what is referred to as the original “seed.” What we cannot describe, however, (and this is very important for our religious faith) is what happened immediately before that first second. Some simply say that it might be “nothing!” But in faith, we can say, God loved, and all creation came to be. Wow!

Now back to that passage in today’s gospel. Jesus states that he was loved “before the foundation of the world.” And so were we. All creation, which we now know includes most likely trillions of stars, and even more planets, was loved into existence as we were eventually loved into life, Think of that moment before God said (in the Book of Genesis) “Let there be light.” And that life included you and me. And everyone else. In a world that seems more prone to report bad news, this good news brightly outshines all else.

David M. Thomas, PhD