Homily 493 | 6th Sunday of Easter | Year B
What a blessing to have a person who knows everything about you, who loves you just the way you are, someone you know would give their life for you. We often think of marriage as being the “highest” form of loving relationship. Yet, Jesus has something different in mind.
Jesus knew each of his apostles intimately. He chose them after careful reflection. He gave his life for them. But the word Jesus uses for this truly “greatest” love is not “spouse,” but “friend.” “I have called you friends.” As beautiful as married love is, it must be grounded in the more fundamental love of friendship.
Our society gives a lot of attention to romantic love as the ultimate happiness. To describe a relationship between a man and a woman that is non-romantic, people will sometimes use the phrase “just friends.” How sad… as if romantic love is the goal and anything else is “just” not as good.
Today, stop and thank God for your friends, those true friends for whom you know you would lay down your life. Then, realize that this is the relationship Jesus wants to have with you. He loves you and wants to be as intimate to you as you are to yourself. In short, he wants to be your friend.