Feast of Saint Matthias, apostle
First Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 113
Gospel: John 15:9-17
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." (John 15:12-17)
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." (John 15:12-17)
I, like many people, used to think that friendship was based upon interests and common traits. While these are still great things to have in a friendship, it is not the only thing that it should be based upon. In these beautiful words by Jesus, we are given the meaning and example of what a real friend is. We are showed how to be friends with Christ, our Lord, by living our His commandments and by loving each other as He loves us. Can you imagine how much of a better world this would be if we all really tried to be friends with Christ and friends with each other? Imagine if we loved one another as Christ loves us; then friendship would not be based solely on interests and common traits, it would be based on love and sacrifice. Jesus calls His disciples friends because He loves them, not out of any selfish desire, but purely out of love. Jesus is willing to lay down His life for His friends, and even though they do not know it yet, they are going to all lay down their life for Him. Real friendship is based upon sacrifice and love, not upon anything that we can get out of the relationship.
For a wonderful example of real friendship, I encourage you to look at the example of David and Jonathan (1 Samuel, beginning in Chapter 18). This is a wonderful example of a friendship that is based upon love and sacrifice.
May God bless all of us this day, and may He open all of our hearts to love each other as He loves us.
Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, help us to be gifts to each other, and to not seek our own selfish desires in our relationships, but only seek to love as you love. Lord, we thank you and praise you for the many blessings that you bestow on us everyday, help us to live this day for you and with you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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