May 24

Aware that they will face difficult and fearful situations, he does not ask the Father to spare them but rather that the disciples will know their connection to him, to the Father, to each other. The disciples did faced many trials and some died in painful ways. Yet there is no indication that they lost their sense of the divine union for which Jesus prayed. That is not to say they were never afraid. But apparently fear did not drive their lives; the force field of trust and love proved stronger than fear. 
 
Perhaps that is why the lectionary pairs Psalm 27 with the Gospel reading - 
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
 
The promise of the Gospel is not that we will never feel fear. The promise is that in difficult and scary times we will know our connection to something more real than fear. Therefore, fear does not need to drive our behavior, the Spirit of Love can sit in the driver’s seat. We are the people who know and celebrate the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells within us and all around us, linking us to Jesus, to the Father, to each other, to all of creation. We face the trials of our times trusting in that Wonder.