Father Prince's Reflection
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Three times in today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that we are his friends. A friend is “one who doubles our joys and halves our sorrows.” Isn’t it true? How could we ever celebrate an anniversary or birthday all by ourselves? How could we face any tragedy in our life without friends? A friend’s arms are big enough to fall into, and strong enough to bear us up. A friend is one who shares our secrets, in whom we confide and to whom we’ve become vulnerable.
Jesus was speaking of himself when he said, “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn 15:13) We do not really lay down our lives for one another very often. But we do lay down or put aside our plans for the evening if a friend needs help. Friends are bridges across silence, and they are those rare people with whom we can be silent. When we lose our friends, life empties out, and as we stand trapped all alone and nightmares haunt our dreadful nights, we cry out for that soothing friendly help. Life need not be a chain of pain and misery, all downhill. We have a friend in Jesus and this friend assures us: “I have told you this so that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete.” (Jn 15:11)
A king was going on a journey, full of cares, sad and furrowed in his countenance. Problems of state, or a fight with the queen, no one knew for sure. He passed a hut and heard a voice. It was singing a merry song. “Who lives there?” asked the king. “A blind old man, your majesty,” the attendant replied. The king drew closer to the hut and listened to the song:
“Oh, I’ve had a good life.
Mine has been a merry life with pleasant things beguiled.
Once a lass kissed me; once I heard a lark sing;
Once I found a flower, and once I comforted a child.”
The king stood at the door and asked if he might have supper with the blind man. The blind man asked neither his name nor his rank. He did not pry him with questions but simply received the king as a guest. There was not much more except for the blind old man’s simple grace: “I thank the Lord who has sent me a friend and bread.” When the meal was finished, the king rode on with great joy, and the blind old man resumed his song:
“From tomorrow on I shall be sad, from tomorrow on.
Not today; today I’ll be glad.
And every day, no matter how bitter it may be,
I shall say; from tomorrow on I shall be sad,
Not today, because a ‘friend saved my day.’”
Jesus says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (Jn 15:14)
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