May 17, 2026
Have you ever traveled with children on a long road trip? If so, chances are you have heard this question more times than you could count: “Are we there yet?”
When I drove a youth group from Michigan to a church in Philadelphia in a school bus for a mission trip, I lost track of how many times they asked me that very question. Looking back now, I almost wish I could have answered them with Jesus’ words from the Book of Acts: “It is not for you to know.”
It was the first time many of them had traveled out of state without their parents. At first, everybody was excited. The snacks were flowing, the music playlists were blasting, and the energy was high. But somewhere around the halfway point, the excitement started fading. They ran out of snacks. The playlists got old. People got restless.
“Fr. Andrew, are we there yet?”
“We need to stop somewhere!”
“I need to use the bathroom!”
“I’m thirsty!”
“I want to buy souvenirs!”
And I remember thinking, We have not even arrived yet! What souvenirs are we buying?
Every five minutes, the same question:
“Are we there yet?”
Truth be told, if anyone was impatient during that trip, it was probably me. I had never taken children on an interstate road trip before. I was a nervous wreck. I felt the full weight of responsibility for someone else’s children. Thank goodness another adult came along on the trip, because I do not know how I would have survived otherwise.
I could not wait to arrive at the destination.
That eleven-hour drive to a week-long mission camp in Philadelphia helped me appreciate today’s Gospel lesson in a completely different way.
In John 17, we hear Jesus praying for the disciples before his departure. Jesus knows the disciples are about to enter an anxious in-between time. He knows Ascension is coming. He knows Pentecost has not yet arrived. He knows the disciples will soon feel uncertain, vulnerable, and afraid.
So what does Jesus do?
He prays for them.
Not for success.
Not for power.
Not for recognition.
He prays for their protection. Their unity. Their faithfulness.
Forty days after Easter, we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension this past Thursday. We remembered Jesus ascending into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Next comes Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples. But today, we find ourselves in-between those moments.
And honestly, the in-between times are often the hardest parts of life.
The disciples did not yet know what was coming next. Without Jesus physically beside them, they became anxious. They wanted certainty. They wanted answers. They wanted to know when everything would finally make sense.
But instead of giving them a detailed roadmap, Jesus gives them something else:
his prayers,
his presence,
and his trust in God.
What strikes me most in this prayer is Jesus’ humility. His concern is not about preserving his reputation or glorifying his accomplishments. His attention remains fixed on God and on the people entrusted to his care.
When you think about it, the apostles eventually learned to do the same thing.
In today’s reading from First Peter, Peter encourages Christians who were struggling with hostility, suffering, and isolation because of their faith. He tells them not to lose heart. He reminds them to remain steadfast. He prays for their strength and protection.
The letter is not about Peter.
It is about caring for God’s people during difficult times.
As I reflect on that mission trip years ago, I realize it became a lesson not only for the youth, but also for me. The journey was not simply about arriving in Philadelphia. It was about learning patience, trust, and responsibility while we were still on the road together.
In many ways, faith works like that too.
So much of our spiritual life is lived in the in-between time:
between prayer and answer,
between fear and courage,
between loss and healing,
between Ascension and Pentecost.
And in those moments, the temptation is often to focus only on ourselves — our anxiety, our uncertainty, our need for control, our desire for self-preservation.
But today’s lessons gently redirect our attention.
They remind us to place our minds on God and on the people we are called to love and serve.
C.S. Lewis is often credited with saying:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”
I think Jesus embodied that kind of humility in today’s Gospel. And I think Peter tried to embody it too.
Maybe faithful living in the in-between time is not about having all the answers right away.
Maybe it is about remaining faithful together until the Holy Spirit shows us the next step.
And maybe that is enough for now.
Amen.
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