Luke 6:12-19 He Prayed and Chose His Friends
In these days, it is not easy to find a good friend. It was not easy for the Lord either. Scripture reminds us, “Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure.” I need a faithful friend. Someone I can turn to, speak to, open my heart to and trust my most inner secrets to. The Lord prayed and chose The Twelve. How lonely he must have felt. Thomas who seemed to question everything; Peter who appeared to “know it all”; John who reminds us over and over again that he was “the disciple whom Jesus loved”; Judas who would betray the Lord.
How lonely the Lord must have felt on earth. No place to rest his head and no one to open his heart to. Jesus would often spend his evenings – his nights – in prayer. He did so this one evening with his Father. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles. In hindsight, given their names and given their history, we can honestly say, this list is amazing!
But what is shocking is that near the end of Christ’s life, when his hour had come; knowing full well that darkness would fill the night and that one of his very own would soon betray him, and betray him with a kiss; and that his little flock would run away out of fear and he would be abandoned by all, he decided to call them his “friends.”
The Lord did not find friends the day he consecrated them Apostles. He made them his friends. He opened their hearts to the Father’s heart. He opened their minds to God’s holy Will. He strengthened their faith with the Holy Spirit. He made them his friends. He entrusted to them the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. He entrusted to them the keys of salvation. He shared with them his love, mercy and compassion. He spilled his blood for them so that they would learn to spill their blood for us.
This is the life of Christ. This is the life of the Apostles. This is our life as Christians. Sacrifice is the only way to show true, unfiltered and unselfish love. This is the mark of a Christian. We read how “Great crowds would follow the Lord” hoping for? Miracles to be seen, healings to be made, bread to eat, stomachs to be filled. They did not go away with empty stomachs but they did go away, the vast majority of them, with empty hearts. We know because the crowds grew smaller as his passion grew nearer. The Lord chose his friends well, even Judas. He earned their friendship, and in turn the Saints and Martyrs have earned our friendship. What we do with this is up to us! May we never depart from this holy band of brothers and sisters!
Dear Jesus, I want to be your friend today. Do with me as you will. Whoever gives to the Lord, receives one hundred times more!
Thanks for reminding me that Christ chose me just as he chose his Apostles.
ReplyDeleteHe didn’t choose them because they shined above the rest. “Thomas who seemed to question everything; Peter who appeared to “know it all”; John who reminds us over and over again that he was “the disciple whom Jesus loved”; Judas who would betray the Lord.”
They didn’t do anything to deserve his love and friendship, he gave it freely. I too have done nothing to deserve Christ’s love and friendship, nor will I ever be able to do enough to deserve his love so I need to quit using that as an excuse. Thinking that if I work a little harder at being a good Christian it will make a difference in how much he loves me. He wants me to come to him NOW, just as I am. He loves me just as I am.
“He opened their hearts to the Father’s heart. He opened their minds to God’s holy Will. He strengthened their faith with the Holy Spirit. He made them his friends. He entrusted to them the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. He entrusted to them the keys of salvation. He shared with them his love, mercy and compassion. He spilled his blood for them so that they would learn to spell their blood for us.”
He did this for the Apostles and he wants to do it for me. He wants to send me forth to live a life of sacrifice, to love as he loves. I just have to cooperate.
“The Lord did not find friends the day he consecrated them Apostles. He made them his friends. He opened their hearts to the Father’s heart. He opened their minds to God’s holy Will. He strengthened their faith with the Holy Spirit. He made them his friends. He entrusted to them the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. He entrusted to them the keys of salvation. He shared with them his love, mercy and compassion. He spilled his blood for them so that they would learn to spill their blood for us.”
ReplyDeleteThis made me think about those who Jesus chose to be His friends. They were all defective, like me. None of them had anything that I don’t have or have access to. (I could fish, as long as I don’t’ have to touch them.) None of them knew Him or loved Him when they were first ‘called’. I didn’t know Him or love Him for decades! Actually I have more than they had. I have the Church, the Bible, running water, electricity, grocery stores…. It should be easier for me to follow Him, right?
As I was meditating on this scripture, I realized Jesus loved Judas. He knew who Judas was and what he would do and yet He still loved him. How could He? Okay He’s God, He can do anything, but in my small human mind, it’s hard to understand.
I once went to confession with a very holy priest who kept telling me Jesus loved me and I couldn’t bear it, so I never went back to him. I couldn’t take it because I didn’t believe it and I didn’t understand it. How could He? Yeah, yeah, I had issues!
As I was thinking about Jesus loving Judas, I finally got it. Jesus’ love has nothing to do with me and everything to do with HIM! He is Love, the Source of Love and we could not Love Him if He didn’t Love us first and show us how to Love.
I realize this may not be a great revelation to some of the sharper tools in the shed, but it has opened a new door for me, one that I kept slamming up against trying to open without ever getting it to even budge.