Wednesday, May 14, 2025

 Feast of Saint 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 hear 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 might be called a “higher,” plane than other humans.  Because of this divine nature, it seems that humans will always remain subservient to him.  However, in today’s passage Jesus tells his disciples that they have become his friends.  After years under his tutelage they now share deeply and completely Jesus’ own interests.  It is more wonderful than being born into the aristocracy or being made a CEO.

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.  As his friends, we are to listen to Jesus’ words in the gospel and share with him are own joys and anxieties.  In due time we will find ourselves becoming just like him.

Friday, May 12, 2023

 Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:22-31; John 15:12-17)

Since the rise of Facebook, people have “friends” whom they have never met.  This is not what Jesus has in mind when he calls his disciples “friends” in today’s gospel.

Jesus’ exalted sense of friendship probably stems from the Greek cultural influence in Palestine.  Aristotle taught that there are different kinds of friends.  Some are people just fun to be around.  Others are useful for business purposes.  The most important friends are those with whom one may share the secrets of her or his life.  They love the person so well that they only want what is best for her or him.  One does not have many friends of this type and can be grateful for having just one.

Jesus wants to be our friend.  He is near so that he might hear our deepest desires and disappointments.  He is ready to support our efforts and to console us when we fail.  All he asks of us is to love one another, something like the way in which he loves us.

Friday, May 7, 2021

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:22-31; John 15:12-17)

In one of Shakespeare’s greatest speeches King Henry V rallies the English army against the numerous French.  The king calls his men “brothers” so that they will stand with him in the fight.  After they win the battle, however, Henry retreats from the metaphor.  The soldiers are no longer “brothers.”  In today’s gospel Jesus calls his disciples not “brothers” but “friends.”  Unlike Henry, he will not take back that relationship.

The word “friends” may make some people think that the relationship between Jesus and his disciples is shallow.  After all, some people have thousands of “friends” on Facebook.  But assuredly that is not Jesus’ intention here. St. Thomas Aquinas sees “friends” as “other selves” as Aristotle defines the term.  Jesus’ friends not only know all about him but also are enriched by his insights into and affection for them.

We too share Jesus’ friendship if we obey his commandments.  As he says many times, his commandments boil down to a sincere love for one another.  Our friendship with Jesus results also in our sharing his destiny.  We become heirs of his eternal life.

Homilette for August 15, 2007

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(I Corinthians 15 and Luke 1)

Fr. Raymond E. Brown, a biblical scholar, was very concerned about ecumenical relations. He often reassured Protestants that what the Catholic Church claims about Mary is usually what it claims about all Christians although she was especially privileged. For example, the Church’s doctrine that Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven is essentially no different from what all faithful Christians will experience at the end of time. The reading from First Corinthians hints at this. Christ was raised as the first fruits of God’s redemption. The “proper order” that St. Paul mentions would have Mary, the mother of Christ, being raised after him but before other women and men.

Our bodies’ destiny of glory gives added reason for us to treat them well. St. Paul in the same letter to the Corinthians presents the primary reason. They are temples of the Holy Spirit that must not be profaned by lewd conduct. We should supplement the prescription for proper body treatment with the avoidance of excessive food and drink. While we’re at it, we might also seriously say that our bodies require exercise, rest, and a balanced diet.

We have heard the recent report of how having overweight friends sends one a message that it is all right to pile on the pounds. Of course, the resolution of this problem is not to cut ties with fat people but to model for one another healthy eating habits. One more thing: if we do tend to emulate our friends, we might make friends with the saints, especially Mary. Just following her in today’s gospel is an inspiration. She quickly goes to visit her relative Elizabeth when she hears of her unexpected pregnancy. She praises God for all the good that happens to her. And she announces the good news of salvation. Could anyone imagine a better person to have as a friend?