In all the artwork that portrays our Gospel scene today, the artists show John the Baptist pointing at Jesus, often with his whole arm extended, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God."
The only people who are allowed to point at others, and even yell, are Drill Sergeants!
John was not being rude; he was just pointing out that his cousin, Jesus, was the sacrificial lamb who was to be a substitute for us. Instead of men or women dying for his or her sins, God provided the lamb to take our place by redeeming us by paying the penalty for our sin.
The suggested response for how to process that and thank him is simply to be his friend.
He calls us his friends in John 15:15.
It’s worth pointing out that, when it comes to friendship with Jesus, and evangelism, it will begin with an invitation to abide with Him and move from him to the Bible.
Jesus’ first words to us is not “repent” or "The Bible says,” but rather, "Come and see."
As God, Jesus is infinitely powerful and there is an infinite distance between the deity and man, yet, Isaiah 43:1 says, “… I have called you by name, you are mine.
Friendship with Jesus is seeing his humanity. That he is a real person like us, with body and soul, intelligence and will, like you and me and he has really big, Sacred Heart. Remind yourself of this often: it will make it easier for you to approach Him in prayer or in the Eucharist, and your life of piety will find in him its true center, and your Christianity will be more authentic. You will get to know each other thanks to a warm, sincere, intimate and steady relationship.”2
In the Catholic book, “Jesus as Friend” the author writes, "listen to St. Augustine, who says: 'I can be God's friend if I so wish.”2
However, friendship with God does not develop automatically. We have to be taught what it looks like.
Although young Samuel slept in the Temple near the Holy of Holies, which was the inner sanctum where God’s presence was, our First Reading, from 1 Samuel 3:7 says, “at that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD.” Samuel’s adopted Father, the priest Eli, had to tell him about the Lord.
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s mother taught her to be familiar with the Lord, telling Teresa, when she was eighteen years old leaving home to become a missionary, “Put your hand in His [Jesus’] hand, and walk alone with Him. [And, don’t worry. If you] walk ahead … you’ll look back [and] you will go back.”3
Consequently, “YOU CAN’T WALK WITH GOD HOLDING THE DEVIL’S HAND,” as author Selam Seyoum notes:
I walk like the world
I talk like the world
I dress like the world
I love the music of this world
I watch things that I shouldn’t watch
BUT….. I am still a Christian
I get drunk, I get high, I smoke and I party
I have replaced going to Church with a club life
I fornicate, I am promiscuous and have abortions if I must
I lie and I steal at times
I support and love the things that God hates
BUT….. I am still a Christian
My tattoo is of Jesus
I have a picture of Mary hanging on my wall
I prayed and repented once before
I don’t read my Bible at all (or pray)
I can’t seem to remember God’s word anymore
BUT….. I am still a Christian. 4
In a 2015 study, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University found that there is a stress-alleviating effect of hugging to protect one better from infection.”5
We hug Jesus, so to speak, in Holy Communion received worthily, and in Eucharistic Adoration. To receive Jesus with the proper dispositions in Holy Communion is to enter into a lifelong friendship with him, Pope Benedict XVI wrote. 6
Friendship with Jesus is interior; that is, it comes from within the mind and the heart, in union with him in your everyday work, even after Mass.
A woman said, “Years ago, after a bad day in court I asked Jesus for a hug. Then a lady, a kind stranger, came over and hugged me. Once I got outside the building a butterfly came over and brushed my cheek. I'd like to think that was a kiss to go along with my hug from Him.”7
Friendship with Jesus does includes exterior things by us like giving alms, performing interior and exterior acts of self-denial for Jesus’ use to save souls. This is because “sharing” is a part of friendship; a friend not only “gives,” but also “receives.”
It is awkward to approach someone for friendship so in John 15:16, Jesus clarifies that he makes the first move. “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.”
Be the Kind of Friend that Jesus is to You. We can embrace the means of grace that friendship with Him is and imitate Jesus in dispensing the same grace to others. 8
1. David L. Bartlett, Come and see, The Christian Century, 1991, p 11
2. Salvatore Canals, Jesus as Friend, 1986
3. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light
4. Tewahedo Orthodox Girl; blog; YOU CAN’T WALK WITH GOD HOLDING THE DEVIL’S HAND!
5. Melissa Locker, Why Some People Hate Being Hugged, According to Science, time.com, 09/04/ 2018
6. Friendship with Jesus Pope Benedict XVI Talks to Children on Their First Holy Communion
7. Reddit, r/Christianity, Can i ask Jesus to hug me.
8. Daniel Gachuki, Be the Kind of Friend that Jesus is to You
FEBRUARY 21, 2023
