St.Matthias, Apostle, Saturday – 14thMay 2022 — Gospel: Jn 15,9-17
Sharing His Friendship
As Jesus responded to the Father’s love with obedient, sacrificial love for others, so the disciples must respond to the love of Jesus with obedient, self-giving love for one another. Abiding in the love of Jesus means to love one another as Jesus loves. It means self-giving for others, even laying down one’s life for one’s friends. In this manner, Jesus uses the word “friend” to express the type of relationship he desires with those who follow him. Only Moses, the greatest figure of the Hebrew Scriptures, was privileged to speak to God as a “friend” (Ex 33,11), a relationship that seemed unattainable to the average Israelite. Yet Jesus calls his disciples “friends”, and like a true friend, shares the best of himself with his disciples. He lays down his life for them and he offers them the key to his Father’s house with all its riches. This unearned, undeserved gift of friendship gives disciples the freedom and the motivation we need to “bear fruit that will last”.
