6th Sunday of Easter Year B - 6/5/2018 - Gospel: Jn 15:9-17
Friendship
Friendship is a special bond one has for others. Friendship is deeper than acquaintances. Friends are the ones to whom we trust and call to share our deep feelings; namely hurt and pain and joy and happiness. When we are in trouble they are there to give support and love and be our companions. Acquaintances are the ones we can rely on for minor things but not for big and important ones.
True friendship demands time and effort, and sometimes requires real sacrifices as one does it for his/her own. The kind of friendship Jesus talked about was even deeper than any human friendship. His love for us is much greater than we can imagine. He loves us so much that He gives his entirely life to His friends, reserved nothing for Himself but gave fully till the end. He chose to die on the cross reconciling to God the Father for our salvation.
The parable of 'Vine and branches' Jn 15,1-8, several times Jesus used the word 'remain' in Him to bear more good fruit. Jesus asked his disciples to 'remain' in Him for various reasons. First, His disciples, out of respect, continue to relate to Jesus as the way disciples relate to their Master. Jesus wants to overcome this barrier by telling them to be more open to His love. He came to this world to teach them not simply about the knowledge of God but more importantly about God's love, His sacrificial and unconditional love for us. His disciples misunderstood it and Jesus three times openly told them about His death and resurrection to give them peace, joy and everlasting life.
Second Jesus knew that one of His disciples was going to betray him and had chosen to go his own way. By doing that the betrayer thought he would be better off without Jesus but he soon realized that he was wrong; apart from Jesus he was nothing. Instead of returning to say apologise and admit it he committed himself further onto the wrong path and died alone in the wilderness.
Jesus called his disciples and us his friends. We didn't choose Him because we don't even know that He existed. We came to know Him because He has chosen us, made Himself known to us and made us His friends. Through this self- revelation we come to know Jesus and God the Father. By choosing us His friends Jesus told us about himself, His sacrificial love and about His Family and about the will of God the Father. He told us what had heard from the Fatherv.6.
Jesus expects us to love Him and love one another in return for His love. He loves us with the same love He had for the Father.
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love'. v. 1.
Those who accept His invitation to love should show that they would remain in His love by keeping His commandment 'to love one another'. The other quality of his love is the completion of joy. Those who love Him sincerely will make His great joy in its fullness and that is the way to show God's glory in our lives. They are appointed to bring God's love for others and become active witnesses for Jesus in the world.
True friendship demands time and effort, and sometimes requires real sacrifices as one does it for his/her own. The kind of friendship Jesus talked about was even deeper than any human friendship. His love for us is much greater than we can imagine. He loves us so much that He gives his entirely life to His friends, reserved nothing for Himself but gave fully till the end. He chose to die on the cross reconciling to God the Father for our salvation.
The parable of 'Vine and branches' Jn 15,1-8, several times Jesus used the word 'remain' in Him to bear more good fruit. Jesus asked his disciples to 'remain' in Him for various reasons. First, His disciples, out of respect, continue to relate to Jesus as the way disciples relate to their Master. Jesus wants to overcome this barrier by telling them to be more open to His love. He came to this world to teach them not simply about the knowledge of God but more importantly about God's love, His sacrificial and unconditional love for us. His disciples misunderstood it and Jesus three times openly told them about His death and resurrection to give them peace, joy and everlasting life.
Second Jesus knew that one of His disciples was going to betray him and had chosen to go his own way. By doing that the betrayer thought he would be better off without Jesus but he soon realized that he was wrong; apart from Jesus he was nothing. Instead of returning to say apologise and admit it he committed himself further onto the wrong path and died alone in the wilderness.
Jesus called his disciples and us his friends. We didn't choose Him because we don't even know that He existed. We came to know Him because He has chosen us, made Himself known to us and made us His friends. Through this self- revelation we come to know Jesus and God the Father. By choosing us His friends Jesus told us about himself, His sacrificial love and about His Family and about the will of God the Father. He told us what had heard from the Fatherv.6.
Jesus expects us to love Him and love one another in return for His love. He loves us with the same love He had for the Father.
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love'. v. 1.
Those who accept His invitation to love should show that they would remain in His love by keeping His commandment 'to love one another'. The other quality of his love is the completion of joy. Those who love Him sincerely will make His great joy in its fullness and that is the way to show God's glory in our lives. They are appointed to bring God's love for others and become active witnesses for Jesus in the world.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
