This is the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Next Sunday is Pentecost. The Gospel Lesson from the Common Lectionary is John 17:1-11. This begins the final prayer of Jesus for his disciples. The air is heavy with anticipation and sorrow and uncertainty. But Jesus prays for his followers in a confident manner, deeply personal, revelatory. And I find verse 3 to open understanding: "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." What is being referred to here is not perfect understanding. Instead, eternal life is found in relationship, knowing and being known. One of my colleagues yesterday, In-Sook Hwang, made a comment on one of my Facebook posts, which began that she "still longs for the beloved community in which we respect and value diversity and intercultural relationships..." I was powerfully moved to consider how too I long for the future Beloved Community. But every once in a while, one gets a glimpse of respect and justice and love and peace and equality. All hint about eternity that is made real in relationship. And in these days of restrictions and social distancing, the people mightily witness to the love of God made real in the world. And that is eternal life, now and not yet