Fourth week of Easter

“It is not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” John 15:9-17

Today’s Gospel presents us with an opportunity to review our lives as disciples of Jesus. Let us focus our attention today on how Jesus calls us friends. I don’t know if we’ve ever thought about what it’s like to have a true friend. And in reality, there are very few people we can call “friends”. In life we have many companions, neighbors, even siblings, but very few friends. For the love of a friend is transparent; it is a selfless love that, as Jesus presents it to us, is even capable of giving its life for the other. It is a love that expects nothing but the pleasure of the loved one. It demands total trust, discretion, promptness, fidelity, availability. Jesus calls us his friends.