Day 304 - An Everlasting Friend (John 13, Mark 14, Matthew 26, Luke 22, John 14) Year 2
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TODAY'S READING:

• John 13:31-38, Mark 14:27-31, Matthew 26:31-35, Luke 22:31-38, John 14:1-15:17

WORD OF THE DAY:

• Friend

In today's reading, we journey through some of the final, intimate moments Jesus shared with His disciples before His crucifixion. These moments are filled with deep teaching, warnings, promises, and a profound expression of love. Let’s walk through them:

After introducing the Sacrament of Communion, Jesus begins to reveal what is to come. The disciples, still grappling with their position among each other, continue to argue about who is the greatest, even after spending so much time with Jesus. In response, Jesus emphasizes again that greatness comes from serving others—a central theme in His ministry.

Then Jesus turns to Peter and warns him that he will soon face a great test. Jesus tells Peter that although Satan has asked to sift him like wheat, Jesus has prayed for him—a powerful revelation of how Jesus cares for His disciples. Even when Peter boldly declares his loyalty, Jesus informs him that before the rooster crows, Peter will deny Him three times.

This interaction shows both Jesus' foreknowledge of events and His compassion for Peter, even as Peter would falter. Despite the impending failure, Jesus reassures Peter that his faith will not ultimately fail, and once Peter is restored, he is to strengthen his brothers.

After the warning of Peter’s denial, Jesus continues to offer words of comfort and encouragement to His disciples. He speaks of obeying His commandments, promising that He will not leave them as orphans but will send them an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will dwell in and among them, leading them into truth.

Jesus reassures them that He will return, but in the meantime, they must remain connected to Him, like branches to a vine, in order to bear fruit. Without Him, they can do nothing, but with Him, their lives will bear fruit for God’s kingdom.

The metaphor of the vine and branches also emphasizes the importance of remaining in Jesus’ love through obedience to His commands. As they remain in Him, their joy will overflow, and they will experience the fullness of life that only He can offer.

In this teaching, Jesus delivers an incredibly tender and surprising message: He calls them His friends. In the context of the time, this would have been shocking, as rabbis and disciples were not considered friends. Yet, Jesus invites His followers into a relationship of love, trust, and friendship—one that surpasses the traditional teacher-student dynamic. Jesus’ love for His disciples is so great that He will lay down His life for them, showing that there is no greater love than this.

In today’s passages, the word friend takes on a profound spiritual meaning. Jesus, the Son of God, calls His disciples friends—not just servants. This friendship isn’t based solely on duty or obligation; rather, it’s rooted in love, loyalty, and sacrifice.

Jesus demonstrated the greatest act of love by giving His life for His friends. In doing so, He established a model for what true friendship looks like: selflessness, loyalty, and a willingness to serve and sacrifice for the benefit of others.

Read more here: https://triciagoyer.com/what-it-looks-like-to-follow-jesus/

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