The Gospel passage is proclaimed within the context that it was not we who chose God, but rather God who, in his grace, approached us with a call and an offer made out of his love. This Gospel reveals the purpose of our call:

We are chosen for joy! We are chosen for love! We are chosen to be his friends!

The Christian is a person whose joy may be complete. No matter what charism a Christian has been given, if it isn’t accompanied by joy the charism will not ignite the human heart. Joy is the first charism of the Christian and radiates more brightly in darkened times.

The Christian is a person who defines love by his life. “No one can show greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ For the Christian, love extends even to enemies and so we must work to love even those who despise us.

Finally, Jesus chose us to be his friends and the friends of God. No longer do we need to approach God from far off. We are not slaves. Jesus gave us an intimacy with God, so that he no is longer distant or a stranger, but very close, in fact as close to us as our heart.

If we truly believe in the power of our baptism we will live out the call of Christ to complete our joy, extend our love and define our friendship, ‘because love is of God; (and) everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God…not that we have loved God, but that he loved us…’

My dear friends, if we find ourselves struggling with this Gospel ask yourself, have I loved God enough? If not, then love Him more!