Chapter 9: Friends and Disciples of Jesus

Prayer: The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of all I have told you, says the Lord. JOHN 14 Lord, your spirit enables us to be disciples of Jesus. May the spirit fill our hearts with gratitude for our mothers, the first and best teachers in the faith. They help us know and love you and Mother Mary. Amen.

Journal: Read John 13:5-20 & John 15:12-17 Why does Christ first wash the disciples feet before telling them to love one another?

The Heart of a True Friend Because we have human friends, we know generally what friendship is. Since God calls us his friends, we should explore this concept more deeply.

Real friendship means self- sacrificing love and generosity. Because he suffered and died for us, Jesus Christ is the very model of true friendship.

What It Means to be a Disciple of Jesus The Holy Spirit gives us the courage, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to accept Jesus, his way of life, and his mission.

The word “disciple” means “learner” or “pupil.” A disciple is one who grasps and intellectually analyzes the teaching of another. Jesus is called “rabbi” or “teacher” in many New Testament passages. The first step to discipleship is to learn everything we can from Jesus as our teacher.

The second step to discipleship is making a commitment to follow Jesus. This step is not an easy one. It means changing the way we live to walk in the steps of Christ. The Gospel of Mark tells of a rich young man, who was attracted to Jesus’ message, but found it difficult to leave his life behind to go and follow him.

By telling the rich young man that he needed to sell his possessions and give to the poor, Jesus was not condemning wealth—but he was pointing out that wealth can be a burden on our journey to God. In order to help us on our journey to God, the Church gives us rules that help us to become moral people. These are called the Precepts of the Church. One of these precepts is that we help provide for the needs of the Church and its outreach to the poor.

Another thing to note is that Jesus did not tell all his disciples that they should give up their wealth. He knows what each person needs, and points us in the direction that will best serve us on our journey to God. What Jesus understood about the people he taught is that many of them saw wealth as tricking them into thinking that they were not in need of anything. They had developed a false sense of security, and thought that their salvation rested on their possessions.

When the rich young man went away sad, it proved that Jesus’ suspicion about him was correct. Something to consider is that Jesus was testing the commitment of the rich young man by asking something of him that he knew would be difficult to give. A lesson for all of us is that we must not place anything above the love of God and following his will.

The third step to discipleship is spreading the message of Jesus. Like a house built on a foundation of rock, the message of Jesus is solid and true. It is this message that Jesus asks his disciples to pass on to others. For over two thousand years, the Church has passed on the teachings of Christ along with his call to evangelize others.

Growing in Friendship with Jesus Knowing Jesus leads to loving Jesus.

Jesus shared his heart with his friends. He was not just a teacher who remained detached from his disciples, but a friend who gave of himself and became close to his followers. The Gospel of John, especially, tells of the close friendships Jesus formed with his disciples. To his friends, Jesus was loyal, affectionate, understanding, and dependable. Not just the Twelve Apostles, but also people like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus—at whose death Jesus wept. And after mourning for his friend, Jesus showed his great love for Lazarus by raising him back to life.

Even though his own suffering was imminent, at the Last Supper Jesus comforted his Apostles saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Showing true friendship, Jesus forgave Peter for denying him and Thomas for doubting his Resurrection.

Before he died on the cross, Jesus entrusted the care of his own mother to his close friend and apostle, John.

Jesus also extended his friendship to those who were rejected and hated by most other people. He was willing to take the risk of associating with the despised in order to be a good friend. The Gospels mention many instances in which Jesus draws criticism for socializing with tax collectors, prostitutes, and other sinners.

The Greeks identified different kinds of love, and friendship is one of these. The Greek word for friendship is philia. It is brotherly love, or the affection between friends. Jesus, of course, showed philia to his friends. The Greeks distinguished other types of love as being different from philia. Storge is the word they used to describe the love among family members. Eros describes sexual love and attraction. Agape describes self-sacrificing love—the kind of love that Jesus shows to everyone.

We can apply some of these insights about human friendships to our friendship with Jesus. He, of course, is always available to us, and shows us limitless generosity. He shares in our desire to be with God, and openly offers us his true self. We need to make sure we do our part on the two-way street of our friendship with Jesus. Do we take time for him in prayer? Do we receive him in the Eucharist? Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” What are some other aspects of how we should respond to the command of Jesus?