John Desing csc –
Readings: Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26; Jn 15: 9-17
Jesus is my friend. Am I his friend? By laying down his life on the cross for me, Jesus shows that he is indeed a good friend.
Do I have anything at all to lay down for Jesus? Jesus plainly says in today’s gospel, ‘you are my friends if you do what I command you.’ Jesus commanded each one of us to love one another as he loved us first. All these are not empty narratives of Jesus. Towards the end of the gospel, Jesus said, ‘these things I command so that you will love one another’. ‘These things’ include ‘you did not choose me, but I chose you’, ‘abide in me’, and to bear much fruit in Jesus’ name.
I think it is important that we ask what kind of friendship we have with Jesus. Are we not betraying Jesus when we fail to love our neighbor as Jesus commanded us to do?
Despite the immeasurable love that Jesus has for us, many times we forget or ignore his assurance of friendship by replacing him with fake friends who lead us away from true friendship with Jesus. Let us learn from the life of Judas, who betrayed Jesus, that money and false friendships lead to destruction.
Let us become aware that to love others, it costs us much. We need to give up our personal and selfish motives in order to let God direct our intentions. In prayer, we can renew our bond of friendship with Christ and thus bear fruits abundantly.