Breaking the Word – Page 2290 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

27.05.11 JESUS THE BEST FRIEND

Posted under Reflections on May 26th, 2011 by

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another. (Jn 15:12-17)

Quality and the quantity of love is measured only by the way one is ready to lay down one’s life for his friend. Jesus proposes only this as the criterion for the love. Love is expressed in many ways by many people and in many relationships. There is only one way and the right way of expressing it and that is by laying down one’s life. This should also be done as friends.

The distinction between slaves and friends are interesting. Slaves may do many things and may even sacrifice their lives for their masters but that is of no avail. The relationship between friends are the best because there total and complete revelation between them. So the criterion for judging a relationship is the measure in which one is ready to reveal oneself to the other.

And the best revelation is the revelation of God. Jesus has revealed everything that he has heard from the father and all what he knows of the father. There is total and complete revelation of God in Jesus. In this sense he is the best friend for all and for all times. He has not revealed anything else but God. He is also the perfect revealer of God.

26.05.11 LOVE

Posted under Reflections on May 26th, 2011 by

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. (Jn 15:9-11)

Jesus speaks of love and this love is the basis for the kingdom that he has come to establish. God so loved the world that he sent his only son to redeem the world. God’s love for the world was such. This love of God becomes the model for Jesus love. Jesus love for the world is identical to that of the father. He imitates the father so much that he is ready to sacrifice his life for the world.

The disciples are asked to remain in his love. To remain in the love of Jesus they have to keep the commandments of Jesus. Love is expressed in keeping the commandments. The commandment of Jesus is also very clear: love one another. His commandments are not rules and rubrics rather they are only one and that is to love.

Love for one another which is the commandment of Jesus and this love is made visible love for Jesus and Jesus himself imitates the father. This love is what that brings joy and happiness. Love is what that makes the joy complete.