"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you." - John 15:12
In today’s Gospel,, we learn about the meaning of friendship, and most especially, discipleship. To most, it would seem that friendship and discipleship are two polar opposites. Friendship as something mutual and symbiotic and discipleship as something bearing resemblance to being someone's servant. But we are told otherwise. We fail to see that both friendship and discipleship have something in common; and that is love. We love the people we are friends with and we love the person we are so willing to follow. Jesus tells us that: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you." He even calls all of us His friends! Is there anything more beautiful? He is telling us that if we continue to love one another and to live out His commandments, we may remain in His grace and love. By doing this, we are spelling out a message that says: "Yes, Father, I will obey and love as you did." Though we may not live in His ways, He still loves us unconditionally. There is a particul...