Sermon: 13th June '21

The High Priestly Prayer

Gospel Reading:  John 17:1-11

Dear Community of Christians,

Today’s reading comes from the John Gospel and is part of the High Priestly Prayer. In previous times, as described in the Old Testament, the high priest entered the innermost temple to create a bridge between the father God and the people. Yet in this text he is not mentioned at all, because the Son of God took up the High Priests mantle. Christ took this on to bring people into a new relationship with the divine Father. Through this great prayer Christ fulfills this relationship for all people.

What actually happens when we create relationships? As children we have a totally pure relationship to our parents, and this relationship is quite natural. During the time of our youth, we want to create new relationships with various friends, out of our own impulses.

When we create relationships as adults, the circumstances become much more complex. We can meet people who we suspect are relationships from previous incarnations, as well as those casual acquaintances which come about for professional reasons. The extent to which such different relationships develop into friendships or even enmities does not happen out of our fully clear consciousness. Deeper, karmic friendships require inner as well as outer efforts, but we carry out such activities with joy and inner sympathy.

Difficult relationships, on the other hand, also inwardly occupy us, especially through constant probing questions: how could it come to this, what is my part in it, how could the relationship be healed? And even more difficult questions.
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A burning question begins to haunt us in our modern times: do we need a relationship with the father God and with Christ at all, even though Christ has created that relationship with us?
We know that for many people the events surrounding Christ's life and death on earth are connected with questions, or even disbelief. How can a relationship be formed with so many uncertainties and inner difficulties with the divine world?
There is no simple answer, even though the relationship was once forged through Christ’s deed. But for the spiritual world, and for Christ, the free decision of every human being is paramount.
The unquestionable, childlike relationship with parents is a thing of the past. In the course of human biography, every adult is again given opportunities to look at this difficult relationship. He can then ask himself, is there a task in front of me that needs to be taken up? The decision of yes or no is left entirely up to each person.

Rev. Ute Koenig