Sixth Sunday of Easter: Kaibigan

 photo by macoy eronico

“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

John 15:9-17 

Friends. Ano nga ba ang isang kaibigan, ang isang friend? Sabi nga ng isang awitin, “Sino pa ang tutulong sa iyo, ulirang katulad ko… Kaibigan mo ako.” Why do we have friends? Siguro dahil kailangan natin ng karamay hindi lamang sa mga malulungkot kundi pati na rin sa mga masasayang sandal ng buhay. Marahil hindi natin kayang harapin ang buhay ng nag-iisa at walang karamay o kasama. O di naman kaya’y mas masaya lang talaga kapag may kaibigan na kapiling sa ating tabi. 

Kaibigan. Sa gitna ng salitang “kaibigan” ay ang salitang “ibig,” o sa wikang ingles ay “love.” There’s a saying, “true love is costly.” A true lover gives the best he can offer and is willing to sacrifice everything he or she has for the beloved. That's the nature of true friendship and love — the willingness to give all for the beloved. True friends will lay down their lives for each other. Ganito ang ginawa ni Hesus na tumuturing sa atin bilang kanyang mga kaibigan. Ang kaibigan, nagmamahal ng lubusan – buong puso at walang inaasahang kapalit. Handa niyang ibigay ang lahat, kahit ang pag-alay ng kanyang buhay, upang ipakita kung gaano niya tayo kamahal.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta once said, “If you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Panginoon, turuan mo akong tularan ang pagmamahal sa akin ni Kristong aking kaibigan, na handing magmahal at magbigay ng sarili. Panginoon, turuan mo akong maging bukas-palad sa aming pagbibigay ng sarili, nang hindi naghihintay ng kapalit kundi ang mabatid lamang ang iyong kalooban.