June 4th, 2000

7th Sunday of Easter John 17:11b-19

Today's selection from the longer High Priestly Prayer at the Last Supper addresses Jesus' concern for his disciple's future after his ascension. He asks his Father to see that they will be one just as he and the Father are one, knowing that his oneness with his Father led many to hate him. So they, too, will need the Father's protection once Jesus is no longer with them. This selection reflects the author's reflection on the temptations and persecutions facing the members of his community and the belief that neither Jesus nor the Father will abandon them.

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Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there was a Mom, who, like most moms, wanted to keep her kids safe and healthy. She cooked the right foods (but also let them have treats in moderation) and took them for regular checkups and taught them to look both ways when crossing the street and all those mom kind of things. She was also very big on seat belts when riding in a car and helmets when riding bikes. She was surprised as her kids began riding to baseball and dance practices to discover that not all parents paid attention to seat belt use. And as her son grew into the "cool" stage (about 9 years old), it became obvious that "cool" kids didn’t bother with helmets and most parents didn’t seem to push the issue. The nine-year-old chooses to forego bike riding rather than wear a helmet. This was the Mom’s first experience of how her children were going to encounter different values and in some instances be swayed by them. She knew it would come on many fronts but had not expected it on physical safety issues for eight and nine year olds. She and the Dad try to explain the value of seat belts and helmets and continue to insist that the children use them. Still they realize that it is hard for a nine year old assert himself when he is on his own. Like Jesus, they pray for their children’s safety when they are outside family situations. They also pray for the safety of all children.