Our gospel text for the 6th Sunday of Easter, Year C, is a portion of the much longer “Farewell Discourse” in the Gospel of John (chapters 13 thru 17).  In other words, we have but a few verses which are an integral part of a much larger passage. The setting for this gospel falls between the account of the Last Supper and the events that will unfold later resulting in the arrest of Jesus. Lets provide some context: the larger Discourse can be outlined in a number of ways, though three main parts are fairly clear:

• The first part (13:31-14:31) focuses on Jesus’ departure and discusses the disciples’ relation to Jesus and their conflict with the world. Our gospel pericope falls at the end of this section.
• The second part (15:1-16:33) develops these same themes, moving from the relationship of Jesus to the disciples, using the figure of the vine and the branches (15:1-17), to the conflict between the disciples and the world (15:18-16:15), and on to a promise to the disciples of joy in the future after the sorrow of this time of separation (16:16-33). 
• In the third major part Jesus prays to his Father (17:1-26). 

Throughout, the overall theme is the Father’s presence with the disciples and the Son’s and Spirit’s roles in mediating his presence. As a way of establishing a context lets first consider a wider view of at least a portion of our passage by considering the text surrounding Jesus’ departure (13:31-14:31).

Image credit: Christ’s Final Address to the Apostles | Bona Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1380 | from the Maesta Altar | Siena, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo | PD-US