Whether we like it or not, Facebook is one of the most popular social media.
It has taken on the ‘mission’ of ‘connecting’ us, of linking together the inhabitants of Planet Earth.
To achieve this task, it makes use of all kinds of clever ways – one of which is the ’FRIENDS’ feature.
It is interesting to listen to people telling one another how many ‘friends’ they have on Facebook.
Some will boast of having thousands of friendly followers who faithfully check, daily of course, what is happening to them.
Today, I ask myself: How many people have in their personal list the name of… GOD?!
Strange to say, I have never heard anyone make such a claim!
Reading the gospel of this Sunday (6th Sunday of Easter, Year B – Jn.15:9-17)
I find the words of Jesus who says clearly:
”I shall not call you servants any more…
I call you friends
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.”
An amazing statement indeed and for more than one reason.
Each one of us can say, in all truth: ‘I am a friend of God’.
This does NOT require any qualification, social status, privileged background, or exceptional experience.
The only requirement is that… we accept his friendship!
By definition becoming the friend of someone is a free decision.
It is no different with friendship with God.
He has created us free beings and will not force us into anything –
surely not into accepting him as a personal friend in our lives.
Coercion would destroy the beauty and value of friendship.
The second aspect of Jesus’ words that I find amazing is that he claims that
he has made known to us all that he, himself, has learned from his Father.
I personally feel that… I have still to make an inventory of all of this…
I am convinced that I am bound to make astonishing discoveries when I seriously get down to it!…
The same may happen to you . . .
Note: Another reflection is available in French on a different theme at: https://image-i-nations.com/6e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-b/