Feast of St. Matthias, apostle
(Acts 1:15-17.20-26; John 15:9-17)
A mother was concerned about the bad habits developing in
her teenage daughter. She saw as the
source of the girl’s vices the friends with whom she was associating. So the mother challenged the teenager to give
up the friends – a move which was initially resented but in time came to be appreciated. People are not only known by the friends they
have but become like them. For this
reason we can accept Jesus’ words in today’s gospel with great joy.
From the beginning of the Gospel of John Jesus speaks as
the incarnate Son of God. He lives on a
completely different, what we might call “higher,” plain than other humans. Because he also has a divine nature, it seems
that humans will always remain subservient.
However, in the reading today Jesus says to his disciples that they have
become his friends; that is, they have somehow been raised to his Godly level so
that they may share intimacy with him. It
is more wonderful than being born into the aristocracy or being elected to the
United States Senate, what is sometimes called “the most exclusive club in the
world.”
Just as surely as St. Matthias shared friendship with
Jesus, so may we. Of course, it entails
keeping his commandment to love both God and neighbor. It also assumes a continual dialogue with
Jesus in prayer. We are to listen to his
words in the gospel and share with him are own joys and anxieties. As a result we will find ourselves kind and
just like him.
