‘I have called you friends': evangelizing through friendship

Jesus calls us friends, but do we truly accept His friendship? For 9 days, reflect on Christ's love and how through friendship, we can share the greatest gift: knowing and loving God.

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Jesus said to us: “I have called you friends”.


How amazing that Jesus, God himself made man, speaks to us in this way: he is not just our Lord and God, he wants to be our friend and he wants us to be his. But are we ready to accept this friendship or do we keep him at a distance? Sometimes we prefer to revere Christ as Lord rather than really getting to know him as friend, because friendship, though far more rewarding, also demands more effort.


How many people hide behind respect for God as an excuse not to respond to his love? And Jesus wants us to share his friendship with others, which is just another name for evangelisation, or mission, or apostolate, or whatever you want to call it. 


In this novena let's consider the friendship of Christ and our own friendships too.

Are we truly giving our friends the love of Christ?

So let's also consider, praying about it, how we can be better friends to others and through our friendship give them the greatest gift of all: the knowledge and love of God. For friendship is not just one other way to evangelise, it is the best way.

Prayer from the novena

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen