The themes that stand out most for me in today’s gospel are authority and trust. Jesus speaks these words shortly after revealing to his disciples that his hour has now come. Jesus reminds his listeners that he has authority because he and the Father are one, which was not so obvious to them and perhaps still not always clear to us. This must be why John writes that “Jesus cried out.”

Like the Pharisees, we often prefer human ways to the ways of God. Here, Jesus is urging his people to trust in him not because of what he says or does but because of the one who sent him. The primary purpose of his words points to a trust in something far greater than any human will, especially our own.

This passage strikes a chord with my vocation as a lawyer. While I may know I can place my entire trust in Jesus and surrender my will to him, doing so is a daily struggle. In the practice of law, I am relied upon for my expertise and understanding of complex issues, which can lead to thinking that my reasoning reigns supreme.

Reflecting on today’s gospel reminds me that while the primacy placed on reason is a strength of my personality as viewed by the eyes of the world, it can be a serious flaw in my spiritual life. It is very difficult for me to follow what I do not understand, which is exactly what Jesus encountered before today’s gospel.

Those around him were still intent on temporal things rather than the eternal. He is trying to get through to us that we do not need to understand his will in order to trust in it. We are surrendering to a person with an authority that never fails, and his will is to save us, not condemn us. That is why we can confidently proclaim, as in the Surrender Novena Prayer: “Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything.”