My Friend Jesus. A Gift of the Holy Spirit.

I recently attended a funeral for an old college professor of mine. Fr. Robert Madden taught English Literature to generations of students and was well known for his knowledge, wit, and kindly way. Perhaps greatest of his gifts, as noted at the funeral, was his ability to be a true friend.

It got me thinking how it might be that same way with Jesus. Why should Christ be any less of a friend? (He calls himself that, by the way. Jn. 15:15). Is it possible to have a personal friendship with Jesus? If so, how does one go about getting it/experiencing it?

Let’s use Fr. Madden as an example. I had heard about this short, round, red faced professor from all the upper class students. I was so envious of those who had had him in class and could call him by name and hear back theirs. Madden was a “figure” about whom I knew much but someone I’d never met.

Isn’t this like Jesus for so many of us? We’ve heard the bible stories, we’ve got a painting of him in beard and sandals. We say the prayer He told us to pray. But we’ve never met Him personally, heard His voice, or felt His presence. Can we really meet Him? The answer is . . . Yes! But it’s different.

How? Our faith teaches He’s “in the Spirit”. We can’t see or hear Him in the normal everyday way we meet others. We need a new way of seeing and hearing. Empowered by faith in the Resurrection and driven forward by a hunger to know Him, there is a gradual growth in the experience of Jesus present in our lives as friend and Savior.

Think of the things you experience with a spouse, a dear friend. (I bet you already have a friendship with Jesus.) It’s not that hard. What do you friends do? They know what pleases each other, what movies they like, what foods a friend prefers. You know what pleases Christ right? Of course you do!

Friends trust each other with secrets. To share a secret is to share your innermost heart. It invites them into your head, where it’s just the two of you. (With Jesus it’s called prayer.)

Friends can be free with each other . . . to say what you feel, to know they will understand, to be less than perfect and still loved, etc. All these things we have with Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit brings the friendship of Jesus to us.

Lastly friendship takes time. You and your friend didn’t just “pop up”. It took years to learn to anticipate each other, to forgive, to trust. Same with Jesus, when he asks us to step out in faith, into the uncomfortable . . . it takes years sometimes to let ourselves trust His presence with us. So what? The best things take time.

Where to look to find your friend Jesus. (Meanwhile He’s looking for you!)

Look closely at the movements of your heart. Moments of love, compassion, sorrow, joy (sometimes accompanied by tears), these are signs that Jesus is near. Speak to him at such times. “I am sent to heal the broken hearted”. Lk. 4:18

1. Pray! “Lord Jesus, let me see you in my life.” And then remember what you’ve prayed for! God will answer your prayers in some way through the course of the day or week. Generally it happens through events around you.
2. Watch for “a double grace”. The grace of the Moment … and … the grace to know “It is the Lord!”
3. Watch God’s “little ones”. Those especially close to Christ: children, the lost, the poor, the mournful and suffering. They have the spiritual presence of Christ all around them.
4. Pray just one thing for awhile … Let me see you Lord, or show me you are with me.
5. The Eucharist of course brings special graces to know Jesus in the “breaking of the bread.”

It’s called asking. And Jesus says, “Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find.” Mt. 7:7

Good hunting! The Holy Spirit will be your field dog.

Fr. Tim