Nothing is more important in this life than our friendship with Jesus. Why is that? The Catechism teaches that we “were created to live in communion with God (#45) in whom we find happiness.” In other words, we simply cannot find the fulfillment we seek in this life, except through living in communion with God. But how do we do that?
Before original sin, communion with God was automatic. But original sin shattered that great communion. Sin, suffering, conflict, death, and frustration invaded the human family. But God himself came to our rescue. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to rebuild the bridge that original sin had broken. Through friendship with Jesus, we can once again live in communion with God and obtain the happiness we were created for. That’s why nothing is more important than our friendship with Jesus.
But being a friend of Jesus is more than simply praying and receiving the sacraments—even though those are essential. It also means following Him. It means daily listening for his call every day and obeying that call when it comes. That’s the tough part, because obeying Jesus means going against the grain of this fallen world. It brings us into conflict with social trends, other people’s desires, and even of our own sinful nature. We shouldn’t go looking for these conflicts; we should look only to discover and carry out God’s plan.
But Jesus doesn’t want us to be naïve either. Being true to Him will not always be easy. It can affect even our closest relationships—as Jesus makes very clear in this Gospel passage. When He makes His will known, not even family ties should hold us back from following him. In Christ’s mind, that’s how much His friendship matters—it’s worth sacrificing everything for. To illustrate how important it is that we sacrifice all for Jesus and His friendship, consider the following.
The English College in Rome
In Rome’s Via de Monserrato, you can find the English College. Founded as a seminary in 1579, it has formed generations of English priests for ministry in England. During the 16th and 17th centuries, 44 students of the English College were martyred in England during the persecutions of Henry VIII and his successors. Forty of them have been beatified or canonized by the Church. The students at the English College knew they were preparing for martyrdom. In fact St Philip Neri, who lived nearby, used to greet the students with, “Salvete Flores Martyrum—Hail, the flower of the martyrs.”
The College’s motto hangs above the door. It reads: “I have come to set the earth on fire.” The students understood that God’s love is found in the Cross, and that our own love must do the same. That’s why they were willing to witness to God’s love even to point of giving up their own lives. The martyrs of the English College exemplify setting the world on fire for love of God.
The Witness of Others Has a Decisive Impact
Our witness to the world is a vital part of our friendship with Jesus. In fact, did you know that the word martyr means “witness”, and that we are all called to martyrdom? Most of us won’t die a violent death for our faith, but each one of us is called to set the world on fire for Jesus by dying to the demands of our egos.
There’s a daily martyrdom we’re all called to. St Thérèse de Lisieux wrote about the hundreds of tiny pin-pricks we can endure every day for love of God. It means smiling at someone when we feel lousy. It means a kind word when we feel like biting someone’s head off. It means refusing to give in to bitterness or hatred to-wards someone who’s hurt us, and instead choosing to forgive that person. These little acts of martyrdom help us to set the world on fire with love for Jesus and His Kingdom.