Breaking the Word

… 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 15:9-17)

 Jesus says that laying down your life for your friends is the highest form of love, and then says ‘you are my friends’. At times ‘laying down life’ is stressed to such an extend that youngsters are asked to go for war to save the country. We should understand that Jesus had said the above statement in a context of love and friendship. It was not said in a context of war and enmity. ‘Laying down life’ in a context of love and friendship is what Jesus is talking about.

 I chose you and appointed you (Like I have called you friends). Initiative is from Jesus and that his action has a purpose. Jesus has not chosen them for the sake of choosing. They have to go do their mission and that their work has to produce effect that will remain.

 The commandment of love is to create friends. That is people who will belong to each other and who will be ready to even lay their life for the other because there are friend. The commandment of love also leads them into a mission and that mission also should have lasting effects. 

  "A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" So they said, "What is this 'little while' (of which he speaks)? We do not know what he means." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.  (Jn 16:16-20)

There is an important discussion on ‘a little while’. Probably this is one of ‘all the truths’ which the Spirit of Truth will reveal when he comes. Also the disciples are tired after a long discussion and the festive celebrations that they have had. So Jesus is not going to tell them everything now. Disciples have their own doubts about what Jesus was saying. All will be made clear.

The answer which Jesus gives seems to be interesting and revealing. ‘You will weep and mourn and the world will rejoice. Bur your grief will become joy’. Does Jesus mean by the statement ‘a little while’ the time of grief that he is talking about? Probably yes. The time of grief, that is the time of Jesus’ suffering and death is for a little while only. This grief will be turned to Joy (Resurrection).

So, whatever Jesus says, particularly during the last supper, to the disciples is about his death and resurrection. And whatever happens to the disciples is also linked to the life and mission of Jesus because they are his disciples. The grief and joy that the disciples are feeling are due the situation of Jesus.