RBWords

     St. Thomas Aquinas says that the only reason that makes sense of why Christ died for us is love.  The image of the vine and branches that began this part of the Farewell Discourse makes clear that the love of which Christ is speaking is one of mutual inter-dependence.  No vine, no branches.  No branches, no fruit.  No pruning, unhealthy branches.  We have to be careful not to read modern psychological categories into this, although, being human, we will each have our own relationship to Christ as "friend" and this will mean various levels of trust and reliance!  Revenge would "take" a life for a life.  Love  would "give" a life for a life.  

     Our own experience of friendship as a "life giving" reality can be a guide to us.  I can speak personally of the life-giving quality of friendship in many stories over the years.  It is not that these stories would be dramatic, such as medical interventions or rescue from danger, but that they would demonstrate the daily continual love, support and prayers of these friends for me over my nearly 42 years as a priest.  It is the strength of these relationships that could motivate a "life threatening" action on behalf of another.  In the case of Christ, it was the love that God has for all creation.  The physical facts of deadly opposition by religious authorities and Roman methods of execution (crucifixion) provide the setting for Christ's demonstration of love.  He practiced what he preached!  Can we identify ways in which we "lay down our life" for a friend?  AMEN