They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 17:11-19.
And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.
They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.
And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.


Commentary of the day : Saint Augustine
«They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.»

Listen everybody, Jews and Gentiles... Listen, all the kingdoms of the earth! I am not preventing you from ruling over this world, «my kingdom is not of this world.» (Jn 18:36) So don't be afraid with that senseless fear which seized Herod when my birth was announced to him... «No,» the Savior says, «my kingdom is not of this world.» All of you, come to a kingdom, which is not of this world; come by faith. May you not be made cruel by fear. It is true that the Son of God, speaking of the Father, says in a prophecy: «Through him, I was established as king on Zion, his holy mountain.» (Ps 2:6) But that Zion and that mountain are not of this world.

And what is his kingdom? It is they who believe in him, those to whom he says: «You are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.» But he nevertheless wants them to be in the world; he prays to his Father: «I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the evil one.» For he did not say: «My kingdom is not in this world,» but rather: «It is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over.» (Jn 18:36)

For his kingdom really is here on earth until the end of the world and up until the harvest the weeds are mingled with the good seed (Mt 13:24f.)... His kingdom is not from here, for he is like a traveler in this world. To those over whom he reigns, he says: «You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.» (Jn 15:19) So they did belong to this world when they were not yet his kingdom, and they belonged to the prince of this world (Jn 12:3)... All who are born of Adam's sinful race belong to this world; all who were reborn in Jesus Christ belong to his kingdom and no longer belong to this world. For «God has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son.» (Col 1:13)