VERBUM DOMINI

Jesus, Our Friend

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What is your image of God? Some people see God as a distant, unapproachable being who governs the universe. Others see God as a divine police officer that simply keeps track of our offenses. Still others see God as stern, simply imposing rules on us to follow. And yet, in this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus speaks words neither of sternness nor of the imposition of rules; rather, Jesus speaks to us words of tenderness and intimacy: “I have called you friends.” Whatever your image of God is, Jesus speaks the truth to us of how we are to relate to him: we are his friends. In Christ, we have been elevated to friends of God. Do we really understand the tremendous significance of this reality?

Let’s reflect: What constitutes a good friend? Someone who’s always there for you; someone you can trust and confide in; someone who’s loyal and sincere. A true friend is not self-interested, but desires to give more than receive. But a true friendship has to be reciprocal; it can’t be one-sided. Jesus Christ desires the intimacy of our friendship. He desires our nearness. What kind of friend would we be if we never spoke to our friends, never spent time with them, never shared our deepest thoughts or concerns with them? Yet, so often we neglect to treat Christ as our true friend.

How can we deepen our friendship with Christ? Well, think of how you would deepen any relationship. You would spend time with that person. You would share your thoughts, hopes, dreams, and disappointments with them. Friendship is an intimate reality. Jesus truly wants us to know him, not just to know about him. He desires to be at the center of our every thought, every word, and every action. He wants to be the very heartbeat of our lives.

The greatest way to deepen our friendship with Jesus is through prayerful conversation. Talk to him! Talk to him as you would talk to a friend. Tell him the desires of your heart. Tell him that you want to know him and love him more. Tell him your joys and sorrows. Speak to him, because he’s always with you. And remember, Jesus also wants to speak with you. He wants you to hear him say that he loves you, that he wants you closer to him.

So, there are some questions that we can ask ourselves: Have I been a good friend to the Lord? Have I met my friend every Sunday in the Eucharist? Have I apologized to my friend for the times that I’ve hurt him? Have I spent time in daily conversation with him? How tender that Jesus calls us friends! May we live in the intimacy of that friendship today and every day.

Father Michael Najim is Spiritual Director of Our Lady of Providence Seminary, Providence, as well as Catholic Chaplain at LaSalle Academy, Providence.