The Entrance Antiphon, taken from Psalm 27:7-9, sets a tone of longing and trust: “O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face; hide not your face from me, alleluia.” This plea for God’s presence resonates with the Easter season’s focus on Christ’s risen life and our call to seek Him in all things. The First Reading from Acts 7:55-60 presents the martyrdom of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. As Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazes into heaven and sees “the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Even as he is stoned, Stephen echoes Jesus’ forgiveness, praying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” before falling asleep in the Lord. This passage highlights the power of the Spirit to sustain us in persecution and the radical forgiveness that marks Christian witness—a powerful reminder of our call to love even in the face of hatred.
The Second Reading from Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 offers the closing words of the Book of Revelation, where Jesus declares, “Behold, I am coming soon,” promising to bring His recompense and identifying Himself as “the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride (the Church) respond with an invitation: “Come!” This passage is a call to hope and readiness, urging us to long for Christ’s return while living faithfully in the present. The imagery of washing robes to enter the city through its gates speaks to the purification and holiness required to dwell with God, a fitting reflection as we prepare for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
The Gospel from John 17:20-26, part of Jesus’ high priestly prayer at the Last Supper, is a profound meditation on unity. Jesus prays for His disciples and for all who will believe through their word, “that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you.” He desires that this unity be a witness to the world, “so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them even as you loved me.” Jesus also prays that His followers may be with Him where He is, to see His glory, and He declares that He has made the Father’s name known, continuing to do so “that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” This prayer reveals the heart of Jesus’ mission: to draw all people into the communion of love that exists between the Father and the Son, a communion that transforms the world through its witness.
Reflecting on these readings, I’m struck by the deep connection between unity, witness, and the presence of Christ. Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts shows the cost of discipleship but also the power of the Spirit to sustain us in trial. His vision of Jesus at God’s right hand mirrors Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel that we may be with Him and see His glory—a reminder that our ultimate hope is eternal communion with God. Stephen’s forgiveness of his persecutors reflects the love Jesus speaks of in John, a love that flows from the Father and unites us as one. In a world often marked by division—whether in global conflicts like those ongoing in Ukraine or in the cultural polarization seen in recent debates over technology and ethics—this call to unity and love feels both urgent and challenging.
The Revelation reading adds a layer of eschatological hope. Jesus’ promise, “I am coming soon,” paired with the Church’s longing cry of “Come!” invites us to live with an eternal perspective. As we stand on the cusp of Pentecost, this reading reminds us that the Spirit empowers us to live as a people of hope, ready for Christ’s return, while actively inviting others into the life of grace. The image of washing our robes resonates with me personally—how am I preparing my heart for God’s presence? Am I living in a way that reflects the holiness to which I’m called?
Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel cuts to the core of what it means to be Church. His desire for unity “as you, Father, are in me and I in you” is a high calling, especially as the global Church navigates a new era under Pope Leo XIV. Just two weeks after his inauguration on May 18, 2025, Leo XIV has already emphasized dialogue and encounter, calling for the Church to “build bridges” in his first address. This echoes Jesus’ prayer for unity as a witness to the world. The fact that Leo XIV, the first American pope, has chosen to focus on peace and service to the marginalized—rooted in his decades of missionary work in Peru—feels like a living out of Jesus’ prayer that the Father’s love may dwell in us. In a time when the Church faces challenges like declining attendance in the West and persecution in parts of the Middle East, this call to unity and love is a reminder of our shared mission to make Christ’s love known.
As I reflect on June 1, 2025, these readings challenge me to examine my own role in fostering unity and love. Do I forgive as Stephen did, even when wronged? Am I living with the hope of Christ’s return, as Revelation calls me to? And am I contributing to the unity Jesus prays for, or am I allowing division to take root in my heart or community? The Seventh Sunday of Easter invites us to prepare for Pentecost by seeking God’s face, as the Entrance Antiphon urges, and by living as witnesses to the love and unity that Christ desires for His Church. May we, under the guidance of Pope Leo XIV and empowered by the coming Holy Spirit, be a people who reflect the Father’s love to a world in need of healing and hope.
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