Stay On In School?

“Just like my Father loves me, I love you,”
Jesus said. “Stay in my love. If you keep my commandments, you’ll stay in my love. This is my commandment: Love one another as I love you.”

Are you counting down the days until school’s out for the Summer? As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, most kids get impatient for the school year to end and summer to officially begin.

After a long year of homework, projects and tests, summer can be a relief. On the other hand, some kids “relax” by spending the entire summer as couch potatoes, staring at the TV, playing Wii or sitting in front of the computer and never enjoying the outdoors!

A teacher might interpret this week’s Gospel (John 15:9-17) as giving different advice. “Stay on in my love,” Jesus begs — meaning, “Don’t get distracted from God when I go back to heaven. Keep following what I taught you, even when I’m not here to remind you in person.”

The same idea could apply to summer: Stay on in the healthy things that school gives you! Even when you’re not in English or gym class, you can read a book...go for a run...challenge yourself to remember the Spanish you learned by speaking it with your friends...swim at the YMCA.

Like Jesus couldn’t stay on Earth forever, your teachers can’t be in your life all summer, pushing you to keep growing and learning. But Jesus’ commandment to love each other also includes loving ourselves — and part of that is not becoming couch potatoes!

Stay on in the good stuff: God, love, learning and exercise. Stretch yourself this summer!

(05/14/09)