Becoming who God created us to be, reflection on John 17:19

Fr. Lee reflects on Jesus' prayer asking God to sanctify his disciples in truth.

by Father Lee Davis on May 06, 2024

Sanctification

“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:19)

This Sunday's Gospel features Jesus praying for his disciples, in what is known as the High Priestly Prayer. He asks that they be sanctified with the truth. Sanctification is a term mentioned 22 times in the New Testament and in our Eucharistic Prayers we pray that the for sanctification in the receiving of Christ’s body and blood.  Theologically, Sanctification refers to the process of making something holy or declaring it as such. But what does this actually mean?

Sanctification is not just a theological idea, but it's also a practical experience that we go through every day. It's a journey of transformation that happens in the moments of our daily routines. Sanctification means being dedicated to God's purposes and allowing His truth to influence every aspect of our lives. Our thoughts, words, and actions should be shaped by God's truth. God desires us to be holy, just as He is holy. It can be said that this is the deepest desire of God's heart, an invitation for us to move beyond mere religion and into a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Creator.

The journey of sanctification is when we allow God to remove the layers of self and sin from our lives, and instead clothe us with the righteousness of Christ. This journey acknowledges our brokenness and our need for redemption. It reminds us that we are all works in progress, and that we need God's grace and mercy each step of the way. It's an invitation to embrace vulnerability, to acknowledge our weaknesses and shortcomings, and to fully trust in the transformative power of God's love.

As I previously stated, Christianity is not a solo journey. The path we follow as Christians is one that we take together as a community. When Jesus prayed for his disciples' sanctification, he envisioned a group of believers who would walk alongside each other in their faith journey. As part of this journey, we are called to cultivate genuine relationships characterized by grace, humility, and accountability. We are invited to be part of a community where we can both give and receive support, encouragement, and correction as we strive to become more Christlike.

Ultimately, sanctification is about becoming who God created us to be, fully alive and fully human, reflecting the image of Christ to the world around us. It's about living with purpose and intentionality, allowing our lives to be a living testimony to the transforming power of God's love.

Tags: community, faith, sanctify

About the Author
Father Lee Davis

After a diverse career in marketing and finance and a sudden realization of the love and power of God that he discovered aboard a Navy ship, Father Lee Davis has the distinction of being baptized, confirmed, and received for Holy Orders on the same Sunday. He studied at Bexley Hall Seminary in Columbus, Ohio where he received a Master's of Divinity degree in 2009 and then served as priest-in-charge of St. Andrew's in Hollywood, Florida as well as an assisting priest at St. Benedict's in Plantation. Father Lee also worked as a Hospice Chaplain. When he left after a little more than two years, St. Andrew's had grown in membership and under his guidance extended its outreach into the community. He was also a pivotal leader of the Jubilee Center of Hollywood, a vital outreach ministry to the homeless and hungry, and served on the Board of Directors for St. Lawrence Chapel, serving the homeless in Pompano Beach. He also served on several diocesan committees working with the youth of the diocese.


In December 2012, Father Lee was called as rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Damascus, Maryland. During his 8 year tenure there the vestry of the parish noted that "His dynamic leadership, inspired preaching, creative ideas and compassionate pastoral care combined to bring a new level of excitement, commitment, and growth among the congregation." Through his leadership, he developed partnerships with other organizations in the community, helped establish a transitional home for victim's of domestic violence, began the process of developing affordable senior housing on some of the acreages of land owned by the church, and grew stewardship achieving their first balanced budget in over a decade. At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, he led the congregation into the development of an online presence and with a couple of dedicated lay members started a feeding program for families in need which continues today. He served in the Diocese of Washington DC helping in the implementation of a Diaconate Formation program as well as being on the Board of Directors of the Washington Episcopal Clergy Association and serving on the Diocesan Executive Council.


Amidst the COVID pandemic, Father Lee accepted the call to be our rector and began his tenure in September 2019. His leadership has already blessed our community.

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