Worship with UsМолитесь с нами
Since 1884, St Andrew's neo-gothic building has been a magnet for the Russian capital’s English-speaking community, foreign and Russian alike.
Below follows the first of an ongoing series of articles about the history of that community which purchased the land on which St Andrew’s sits in the aftermath of the Napoleonic War.
This series is authored by Pat Davis Szymczak, church warden and head of St Andrew’s post-Soviet restoration effort.
С 1884 года неоготическое здание церкви Святого Андрея притягивает англоязычное сообщество Москвы — как иностранцев, так и россиян.
Это первая статья из серии, посвящённой истории этой общины, которая приобрела участок под церковь Святого Андрея сразу после Наполеоновских войн.
Автор серии — Пэт Дэвис Шимчак, церковный староста и руководитель постсоветского восстановления Святого Андрея.
Since 1884, St Andrew's neo-gothic building has been a magnet for the Russian capital’s English-speaking community, foreign and Russian alike.
Below follows the first of an ongoing series of articles about the history of that community which purchased the land on which St Andrew’s sits in the aftermath of the Napoleonic War.
This series is authored by Pat Davis Szymczak, church warden and head of St Andrew’s post-Soviet restoration effort.
С 1884 года неоготическое здание церкви Святого Андрея притягивает англоязычное сообщество Москвы — как иностранцев, так и россиян.
Это первая статья из серии, посвящённой истории этой общины, которая приобрела участок под церковь Святого Андрея сразу после Наполеоновских войн.
Автор серии — Пэт Дэвис Шимчак, церковный староста и руководитель постсоветского восстановления Святого Андрея.
The story of St Andrew's is bound intimately with the story of the industrial revolution and the British factory owners who exported that revolution to Russia from northwest England and from Scotland.
The first English merchants had arrived in Muscovy at the Court of Ivan IV in 1553 and were in fact the first foreigners allowed to worship according to their own customs. Businesses moved out of Moscow when commerce relocated with the capital to St Petersburg in the early 18th Century.
But as Moscow rebuilt from the fire of 1812, a new breed of Briton was on the move — adventurers who were much more than merchants who buy and sell; these were industrialists who built factories and imported machinery to mass-produce goods in the countries where they settled.
Managing Factories Across Central Russia from a Moscow Base
For those who came to Russia, Moscow was an ideal base of operations. As this new British community grew and prospered, building a church where families could gather for prayer and fellowship became a priority. It is here that the Story of St Andrew's begins.
In 1825, the Anglican priest in St Petersburg, the Rev Dr Edward Law, secured an agreement with The Russia Company to help establish a new church in Moscow, and provide annual support. The Russia Company was originally chartered in 1555 by Queen Mary Tudor as The Muscovy Company to manage England's trade with Russia. Today it is a small charity run by descendants of British families who lived in St Petersburg in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Their sole mission is to support St Andrew's.
Moscow's British community lost no time in purchasing a small estate and land at 8 Voznesensky Lane, a 10-minute walk to the Kremlin. The Anglican churchwarden who signed the property deed was a member of the Colley family that had settled in Moscow in the 18th Century and whose descendants reside in the Russian capital to this day.
Builders converted the house on the property into what became known as The British Chapel. It opened for public worship in 1829 and served the community for half a century before falling into disrepair. St Andrew's is in fact the third building to be situated on that original foundation. Interestingly, during 2018 restoration work on the West Wall, workers uncovered an inner layer of charred bricks, which are thought to have been blackened in the Great Fire of 1812.
A Church Quintessentially English in its Construction
Construction started on the new church in 1882 and ended in 1884; costing a total of 16,000 GBP. In an article on the occasion of the first service at St Andrew's in the autumn of 1884, The Manchester Chronicle noted that the British community in Moscow had felt that their church "must be quintessentially English in its construction."
They hired Bolton architect Richard Knill Freeman who provided plans for churches to British communities throughout the empire and had business ties to some of St Andrew's leading families from Lancaster.
Freeman visited Moscow only once, in 1883, to ensure that his design and instructions were being carried out. Day-to-day supervision of the project was entrusted to local architect B.V. Freidenberg. St Andrew's was named not surprisingly in honour of the patron saint of Scotland and of Russia.
Prophetic 1885 Consecration Sermon Foreshadows a Revolution
Bishop Jonathan Holt Titcomb – the Bishop of London’s coadjutor for North and Central Europe. traveled to Moscow and consecrated St. Andrew's Anglican Church on January 25, 1885. During that service he declared St Andrew’s to be “an open door that no man can shut.”
This quote is actually rooted in Revelation 3:8: "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
Bishop Titcomb’s prophetic message seemed to remind the community that whatever trials they may suffer, their purpose and presence in Moscow is divinely protected.
The bishop’s message would be put to the test in the aftermath of the 1917 revolution. But as God always does have the last word, St Andrew’s door did, after 80 years of darkness, reopen.
История церкви тесно переплетена с промышленной революцией и британскими фабрикантами, принесшими её в Россию из северо-западной Англии и Шотландии.
Первые английские купцы прибыли в Московское государство ко двору Ивана IV в 1553 году и стали первыми иностранцами, которым разрешили исповедовать веру по своим обычаям. В начале XVIII века, когда столица переместилась в Санкт-Петербург, деловая жизнь последовала за ней, и торговля ушла из Москвы.
Но по мере того как Москва поднималась после пожара 1812 года, в Россию направилась новая волна британцев — уже не просто торговцев, а людей, которые строили фабрики и привозили оборудование для массового производства на месте.
Управление фабриками в Центральной России из Москвы
Для тех, кто приезжал в Россию, Москва становилась естественной базой. По мере роста общины строительство собственной церкви — места молитвы и общения — стало очевидным шагом. С этого и начинается история Святого Андрея.
В 1825 году англиканский священник в Санкт-Петербурге, преподобный доктор Эдвард Ло, договорился с Русской компанией о содействии созданию церкви в Москве и её ежегодной поддержке. Основанная в 1555 году королевой Марией Тюдор как Московская компания, она управляла английской торговлей с Россией. Сегодня это небольшая благотворительная организация, которой управляют потомки британских семей, живших в Санкт-Петербурге в XVIII–XIX веках. Её единственная задача — поддержка Святого Андрея.
Британская община Москвы быстро приобрела участок с усадьбой по адресу Вознесенский переулок, 8 — всего в десяти минутах ходьбы от Кремля. Документ о покупке подписал англиканский староста из семьи Колли, обосновавшейся в Москве ещё в XVIII веке; её потомки живут здесь до сих пор.
Дом на участке перестроили в так называемую Британскую часовню. Она открылась для богослужений в 1829 году и прослужила около полувека, прежде чем обветшала. Нынешнее здание Святого Андрея — уже третье на этом месте. Во время реставрации 2018 года в западной стене обнаружили внутренний слой обожжённого кирпича — вероятно, след пожара 1812 года.
Церковь, задуманная как подлинно английская
Строительство нового здания началось в 1882 году и завершилось в 1884-м; общая стоимость составила 16 000 фунтов стерлингов. В публикации The Manchester Chronicle по случаю первого богослужения осенью 1884 года отмечалось: британская община Москвы считала, что их церковь «должна быть по своей конструкции подлинно английской».
Проект поручили архитектору из Болтона Ричарду Книллу Фримену, автору церквей для британских общин по всей империи и человеку, связанному деловыми отношениями с рядом ключевых семей прихода Святого Андрея из Ланкашира.
Фримен приехал в Москву лишь однажды — в 1883 году, чтобы проверить, как реализуется его проект. Повседневный контроль за строительством вёл местный архитектор Б. В. Фрейденберг. Церковь, вполне ожидаемо, получила имя святого покровителя Шотландии и России.
Проповедь 1885 года, оказавшаяся пророческой
Епископ Джонатан Холт Титкомб, помощник епископа Лондона по Северной и Центральной Европе, прибыл в Москву и 25 января 1885 года освятил церковь Святого Андрея. Во время службы он назвал её «открытой дверью, которую никто не может затворить».
Эти слова восходят к Откровению 3:8: «Знаю твои дела; вот, Я отворил перед тобою дверь, и никто не может затворить её; ты немного имеешь силы и сохранил слово Моё, и не отрёкся имени Моего».
В его словах звучало напоминание: какие бы испытания ни ждали впереди, присутствие этой общины в Москве находится под божественной защитой. Это утверждение прошло суровую проверку после революции 1917 года. И всё же, спустя 80 лет тьмы, двери Святого Андрея вновь открылись.
Often our lives are burdened with things. Life here on earth is not easy. It may seem nice, beautiful, happy-go-lucky, but there are times when we feel down and have questions which may not have immediate answers. A person may be diagnosed with an incurable illness, a marriage may be in trouble, maybe you want to find the right partner but can’t, maybe you can’t find the right job or despite hard work and investment your business is failing.
In short, there are times when all of us may feel just plain miserable.
Often our lives are burdened with things. Life here on earth is not easy. It may seem nice, beautiful, happy-go-lucky, but there are times when we feel down and have questions which may not have immediate answers. A person may be diagnosed with an incurable illness, a marriage may be in trouble, maybe you want to find the right partner but can’t, maybe you can’t find the right job or despite hard work and investment your business is failing.
In short, there are times when all of us may feel just plain miserable.
The list is endless. “We are chained everywhere,” as the philosopher Thomas Hobbes puts it. However, when we place our trust in God completely and allow God to take control, our worries certainly diminish. Sometimes, we must just allow God to decide for us rather than we decide for ourselves based on our abilities and inclinations. After all, it is not we who decided to come into this world. The liturgical readings on this 5th Sunday in Trinity encourage us to put our burden on our God.
We succeed only when God intervenes in our lives
The readings of this Sunday invite us to discover the true source of peace, strength, and freedom. In a world that glorifies success, competition, and self-sufficiency, Jesus presents a radically different way—the way of humility, surrender, and life in the Spirit. Jesus begins with a prayer of thanksgiving in Matthew 11:25-30: "I thank you, Father... because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children."
God's kingdom is not reserved for the intellectually gifted or the socially powerful. Rather, it is revealed to those who possess the simplicity and openness of a child. A child trusts, depends, and receives. Pride closes the heart to God, but humility opens it to His grace. The Gospel reminds us that knowing about God is different from knowing God. A humble heart recognizes its need for God and welcomes His presence.
Problems end when we find Jesus in our lives
The Gospel reading is full of comfort and solace: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." Jesus does not say, "Solve your problems first and then come." He invites us exactly as we are—tired, anxious, disappointed, guilty, or overwhelmed. Many of us carry invisible burdens: the pressure to succeed, family worries, financial struggles, broken relationships, loneliness, fear of the future, spiritual dryness. The list goes on. It ends only when we find Jesus in our lives.
Often we try to carry these burdens alone. We seek relief in distractions, possessions, or achievements. Yet none of these gives lasting peace. Jesus offers something deeper than temporary relief. He offers Himself. Rest in Christ does not mean a life without problems. Rather, it means discovering His presence within our struggles. Following Jesus certainly requires sacrifice, forgiveness, generosity, and perseverance. Yet these become lighter because they are rooted in love rather than fear.
Taking responsibility for our lives through the Holy Spirit's strength
St. Paul has beautiful words to remind us in Romans 8:9, 11-14: "You are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you." To live "according to the flesh" is to allow selfish desires, ego, and worldly ambitions to govern our lives.
To live "according to the Spirit" is to let the Holy Spirit shape our thoughts, decisions, and relationships. The Spirit transforms us from within. Instead of: fear, He gives courage; anger, He gives forgiveness; selfishness, He gives generosity; despair, He gives hope. Christian life is not merely about following rules, dogmas and rituals but about allowing the Spirit of Christ to live within us.
Modern culture often tells us that freedom means doing whatever we want. The Gospel teaches something far deeper. Real freedom comes from belonging to Christ. The more we surrender to His love, the freer we become from anxiety, pride, addictions, jealousy, resentment, and fear.
Questions for Personal Reflection
1. Do I approach God with the humility and trust of a child, or do I rely primarily on my own abilities? 2. How is the Holy Spirit inviting me to grow in love, forgiveness, and generosity? 3. What practical step can I take this week to deepen my relationship with Christ and allow Him to carry my burdens?
Concluding Prayer
Loving Father, We thank You for revealing Your love to the humble and for inviting us to come to Jesus with all our burdens. When we grow weary, remind us that Your Son is always ready to receive us with compassion and to give us true rest. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so that we may put aside selfishness and live according to Your will.
Grant us humble hearts, trusting faith, and the courage to carry the yoke of Christ with joy, knowing that He walks beside us every step of the way. May our lives reflect the gentleness and humility of Jesus, bringing peace, hope, and encouragement to all whom we meet. We make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.
Fr Olvin Veigas, SJ
What does the word ‘hospitality’ mean to you?
Maybe you think of the hospitality industry, the many service jobs involved in hospitality—the front desk and housekeeping staff at a hotel, the flight attendants on an airplane, the guest services department at an event venue. These people are all doing the work of hospitality. It’s their job to make people feel welcome in a place, make people feel comfortable, help them with any questions or needs they might have.
Or maybe when you think of hospitality, you think of welcoming guests into your own home. If you invite friends over for dinner, or have houseguests, what do you do to provide hospitality? You tidy up, you make the guest bed, you make sure the fridge is stocked or plan a nice meal.
What does the word ‘hospitality’ mean to you?
Maybe you think of the hospitality industry, the many service jobs involved in hospitality—the front desk and housekeeping staff at a hotel, the flight attendants on an airplane, the guest services department at an event venue. These people are all doing the work of hospitality. It’s their job to make people feel welcome in a place, make people feel comfortable, help them with any questions or needs they might have.
Or maybe when you think of hospitality, you think of welcoming guests into your own home. If you invite friends over for dinner, or have houseguests, what do you do to provide hospitality? You tidy up, you make the guest bed, you make sure the fridge is stocked or plan a nice meal.
We also talk about hospitality in the church. We have ushers and greeters who welcome people on Sunday morning. We look after our property and building so that it’s attractive and easy to navigate. We brew coffee and provide snacks so people can gather together after services. We open our buildings to different groups, (at St Andrew’s we organize bring and shares like our picnic today.)
In all these examples of hospitality, it’s about welcoming people in to our space. Whether it’s a hotel, your own home, or the church, we turn on the lights, open the doors, and welcome people in. And that’s a worthwhile thing to do.
But it’s not what Jesus tells us to do in our gospel reading this morning. In today’s reading, Jesus doesn’t instruct his disciples to welcome people in; instead, he sends the disciples out. Instead of telling them to provide hospitality to strangers, he tells them to receive hospitality from the world.
Today’s reading continues the teaching we heard the last two Sundays. Jesus sends out his twelve disciples, telling them to go from town to town, to travel without any money or supplies, to depend on the kindness of strangers. Instead of offering hospitality, Jesus tells them to go out and receive hospitality.
Receiving hospitality is a risky proposition. What if you go over to someone’s house and don’t like the food they serve? What if the bed isn’t comfortable? What if they brew the coffee too weak?
Okay, those examples are a little silly. But when you’re receiving hospitality, it means you’re not in control. You don’t get to choose what you eat, or where you sleep. It might even mean you find yourself in an unsafe situation. How many of us would, without a second thought, accept the hospitality of a free drink at the bar from a stranger?
You can’t know what’s in the drink or what the stranger’s intentions are. Even if that stranger is only trying to be friendly, you just can’t know. Accepting hospitality is risky.
Jesus also warns his disciples about the dangers of depending on hospitalit. He warns them that they won’t always be welcomed—in fact, they may be hated, persecuted, even killed on account of Jesus.
There is a flip side to those warnings, and it is in our Gospel reading today. Yes, disciples may be rejected on account of Jesus. Yes, relying on the hospitality of others is risky. But, Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”
If you follow Jesus, if you are a disciple, the world may reject you on his account. But sometimes, the world will welcome you on his account. Anyone who welcomes a disciple welcomes Jesus himself.
There’s a famous passage in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 25. Jesus describes the final judgment, saying, “Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”
In that passage, Jesus teaches us that showing kindness, providing hospitality, to strangers is the same as giving kindness and hospitality to Jesus himself. If we want to see Christ in the world, we only have to look at our neighbors. We will see the face of Christ in the faces of the people around us. When we care for them, we are caring for Christ.
Matthew 25 says: if we want to encounter Christ, we should look to the people around us. We find Christ in the world. Matthew chapter 10 turns that around. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” We find Christ in the world. And the world finds Christ in us.
The world finds Christ in us. Whoever welcomes us welcomes the one who sends us. Whatever kindness and hospitality we receive, that same kindness and hospitality is given to Jesus our Lord. These two passages in the gospel of Matthew fit together.
If we want to know where to see Christ in the world, we should look in the face of a stranger. And if the world needs to know where to see Christ, Christ is found in us. These two texts show us two sides of hospitality—the calling to provide hospitality to the stranger, and the challenge of accepting hospitality from the world.
We all are pretty good at providing hospitality in our own spaces – home and church as previously mentioned. But instead of being in our own space and providing hospitality to others, we should try this week to see where God is calling us out—out of our comfort zones, out of our space, out of the familiar things we can control.
As disciples of Christ, sometimes we are the ones who provide a welcome and hospitality. But we can’t stop there. We can’t sit in our comfortable homes and cook meals we know we like and invite other people to come to us. We have to also go out, be the ones who are strangers in an unfamiliar place. We have to be willing to risk discomfort, rejection, even danger. We have to be willing to receive hospitality as well as give it.
Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Let’s take a chance and let the world welcome Jesus through us. Amen.
Pastor Jennifer
4th Sunday of Trinity Year A, 2017
Are we afraid of someone or something? Feeling insecure about something or someone is quite normal to our human nature. Due to our limitedness and mortality, we tend to feel uncomfortable with many things. Safety and security are very essential for a peaceful and creative existence. When we see there are threats around us, we feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Jesus was bold enough to say, "Fear no one." Fear begets fear. Jesus was clear about his priorities. Jesus did not mince his words. He called a spade a spade as he saw it. The liturgical readings on this Sunday encourage us to realize how precious we are and invite us to have the same courage of Jesus in our lives.
Are we afraid of someone or something? Feeling insecure about something or someone is quite normal to our human nature. Due to our limitedness and mortality, we tend to feel uncomfortable with many things. Safety and security are very essential for a peaceful and creative existence. When we see there are threats around us, we feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Jesus was bold enough to say, "Fear no one." Fear begets fear. Jesus was clear about his priorities. Jesus did not mince his words. He called a spade a spade as he saw it. The liturgical readings on this Sunday encourage us to realize how precious we are and invite us to have the same courage of Jesus in our lives.
1. The Courage to Live in the Truth In today's Gospel Matthew 10:26–33, Jesus speaks to His disciples as He prepares them for the challenges of mission. He knows that following Him will not always be easy. There will be opposition, misunderstandings, rejection, and even persecution. Yet His message is clear: "Do not be afraid." This phrase is repeated several times, reminding us that courage in discipleship comes not from our own strength but from trusting in God's loving care.
Jesus says, "Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed." Truth has a way of coming to light. The disciples are called to proclaim openly what they have received from Jesus, not to keep it hidden out of fear. As Christians, we are entrusted with the Gospel, not as a private possession but as a message meant to be shared. Often we would like to remain silent about our faith. It is easy to do that. Jesus challenges us to speak and live the truth with conviction.
2. Fear God, Not Human Opinion
Jesus distinguishes between those who can harm the body and the One who holds our entire life in His hands. Human approval is fleeting, but God's judgment is eternal. Many of our fears arise from worrying about what others think of us. We fear criticism, rejection, or failure.
The Gospel invites us to reorder our priorities. When God becomes the center of our lives, the opinions of others lose their power to control us. True freedom comes when we seek first to please God rather than to gain human applause. Authentic witness is not merely about words; it is about living values of justice, compassion, honesty, and love even when such choices are unpopular.
3. The Preciousness of Every Person
Jesus uses a beautiful image: "Not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge." Sparrows were among the cheapest birds sold in the marketplace, yet God notices each one. Then Jesus adds, "You are worth more than many sparrows."
Our relationship with Christ should shape our choices, conversations, priorities, and relationships. When we stand up for what is right, forgive someone who has hurt us, defend the dignity of the vulnerable, or remain faithful to Christian values in daily life, is itself giving witness.
This idea reveals the immense dignity of every human person. God knows us intimately. He knows our struggles, dreams, fears, and even "the hairs of our head." We are not forgotten, abandoned, or insignificant. In moments of loneliness or discouragement, this assurance becomes a source of deep consolation: We are cherished by God beyond measure.
Questions for self-reflection
1. What fears prevent me from living my faith more openly? 2. When have I experienced God's loving care in difficult moments? 3. How can I acknowledge Christ more clearly through my words and actions this week?
Concluding Prayer
Lord Jesus, You know the fears that dwell within our hearts. Help us to trust in Your loving care and to live courageously as Your disciples. Teach us to place our confidence not in human approval but in Your unfailing love. May we never be ashamed of the Gospel but boldly witness to Your truth through our words and actions. Remind us each day that we are precious in the Father's eyes and that nothing can separate us from His love. We make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.
- Fr Olvin Veigas
3rd Sunday of Trinity, Year A, 21 June 2026, celebratefaith.blogspot.com
Jesus prayed. The Gospels reveal that prayer remained the constant refrain of Jesus’ life. Jesus prays frequently and fervently. Why would he of all people need to pray? First, Jesus was God made man, and so he had emptied himself to become human and some things were no longer possible for Jesus.
For example, if he were in Galilee, he would not also be in Jerusalem. Jesus was bound by time and space. Secondly, Jesus had also always been connected to the Father and the Holy Spirit in ways that are mysterious to us. They are one and yet three.
Jesus prayed. The Gospels reveal that prayer remained the constant refrain of Jesus’ life. Jesus prays frequently and fervently. Why would he of all people need to pray? First, Jesus was God made man, and so he had emptied himself to become human and some things were no longer possible for Jesus.
For example, if he were in Galilee, he would not also be in Jerusalem. Jesus was bound by time and space. Secondly, Jesus had also always been connected to the Father and the Holy Spirit in ways that are mysterious to us. They are one and yet three.
If that is difficult to get your mind around, that is fine. After all, a God you can fully comprehend isn’t much of a deity. But we see that Jesus prayed as a part of this ongoing relationship within the Trinity. Finally, Jesus prayed to be an example to his followers. We see this most fully on the night before he died. All of the Gospels tell of Jesus praying fervently that night. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we hear only that Jesus prayed for the cup to pass from him.
He did not want to die, but even so, Jesus submitted himself to God’s will. In our Gospel reading, we get a deeper glimpse into Jesus’ prayer that evening. In chapter 17 of John’s Gospel, which we read part of this morning, Jesus prays. Our reading starts, “Jesus looked up to heaven and said...” Those words matter, as they tell the reader that what follows is a prayer.
Jesus Reveals His Character in his Prayer to His Father
The prayer is not written to us. Jesus is talking with God the Father. John gives us not just the content of the prayer, but also the character of Jesus in writing down this prayer for us. Jesus says, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” In John’s Gospel, the word glory points to the cross. It is in his faithfulness unto death that Jesus glorified God.
In Jesus’ words in this prayer, we learn that Jesus values those who believe in him as a cherished gift from God. And in the final lines of our reading this morning, Jesus prayed, “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”
Jesus wanted those who follow him to be protected, not from bodily harm, but from falling away from the faith. And most of all he wanted us to be one as he and the Father are one. This could reduce the prayer to a plea for Christian unity, but that is not all that is going on here.
Yes, Jesus would pray for those who follow him to be one in a way that makes unity among Christian denominations an important goal. But here, Jesus is praying for our protection, and for that to happen, he calls us to be drawn into the relationship of love that is the very Trinity.
Jesus and the Father are one in a way that goes beyond simple agreement, like, or love. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one at their essence through relationship. Jesus prays for that sort of deeper relationship for us. This is Jesus’ prayer before dying; his dying wish is for those who know him to be drawn into an abiding connection to him and his Father through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus had already demonstrated what an abiding connection to God looks like. Throughout his life, he had taken regular times for prayer both public and private—both liturgical prayers of synagogue and Temple worship and spontaneous prayers offered on various occasions.
Staying Connected to God in Good Times and in Bad
Jesus maintained his connection to God in good times and bad, in times of triumph, and in the agony of the cross. With only a few years in which to change the world forever, Jesus should have been a workaholic. Yes, he was faulted for breaking the Sabbath to heal and for letting his disciples pick grain to eat. But instead of being a workaholic, Jesus enabled others to minister as well.
We find in the Gospel what Jesus prayed, but we should also notice that Jesus prayed. His life is soon to end. He is in the last hours with his disciples. Rather than fitting in an all-night cram session to get the last bit of theological information into his disciples’ heads, Jesus pauses and prays. If you ever wonder what would Jesus do, the primary answer is that Jesus would pray. How much more should we first and foremost pray in all the chances and changes that life sends our way?
God will honor the arrow prayers we shoot heavenward in times of need, but we will find ourselves more fully connected to God if we set aside routine times to pray. The pattern for (Anglicans) is found in the brief Morning and Evening Prayer liturgies in the Book of Common Prayer and in Common Worship, and even in the one-page devotions tucked into the Prayer Book.
Making daily times for these prayers will not earn God’s favor; we have already been given that grace freely. Instead, the daily times of prayer will ground us in connection to the Holy Trinity.
This was Jesus’ will for us. Jesus wanted us to find and nurture that deep, abiding connection to God. Jesus wanted it so much that he prayed for all of us to get that sort of relationship and then he trusted his Father in heaven to enable it to happen. Our answer to Jesus’ prayer is found when we make time to pray and so grow closer to the God who knows us fully and loves all of us completely. Amen.
Lectionary reference: Acts 1:6-14; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11; Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36
Published by the Office of Formation of The Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. © 2017 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Bishop Frank
7th Sunday in Easter, 17 May 2026
